Leave the Pieces
by Intoleration
Summary: She was used to being taken advantage of, she was on her own with no one to care for her. He would prove that she was wrong about the world. OC/Charles/Erik, set during First Class
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** The first few chapters are a bit short, sorry about that. We'll be working up, I promise. Reviews = love. I need love.

Disclaimer_: I don't own the x-men characters. _

_Airae is mine._

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><p>The night was chilly, frost creeping into her skin and sending shivers running down her spine. The girl sat on the curb with her hands pressed against her mouth, rocking her fail body back and forth in a desperate attempt to generate heat. The clothes she had now hung in filthy rags off her body, and offered little protection from the night.<p>

Turning, she glanced over her shoulder to check on two younger boys who were leaning against the brick apartment building behind her. One was asleep, his blond hair stuck in odd angles and his mouth gaping wide. He looked to be about eight years old, although his body was painfully thin and obviously malnourished. His fair head rested on the shoulder of a slightly older boy, one who was passing his time by scratching moody scribbles onto the concrete sidewalk with a piece of stone.

Feeling the girl's gaze, the older boy returned her stare and moaned, trying to move as little as possible so as not to wake the younger. His high-pitched voice came out as a whine, his soft brown eyes boring into hers pleadingly. "Airae, when are we going to leave? We've been sitting here for _hours_, and we've got almost nothing to show for it."

Airae tried to keep her irritation from entering her voice, speaking softly to the boy. "Hush, Michael. Just a little while longer, I promise. I know it's been a rough day, but we'll be able to rest shortly. Maybe you could take a nap like your brother, it would help you pass the time more easily."

Turning, she pretended to ignore the weary sigh that came from behind her. In reality, she was every bit as exhausted and ready to leave as the younger boy, but she knew that they didn't even have enough money for a decent meal. She couldn't bear the thought of her younger brothers going hungry _another_ night. They were just boys, after all. They deserved much more than a weather-torn box in an alley, which was the best shelter she had been able to scavenge.

"Airae?" Michael's voice was quiet, with an almost slurred tone, and she could tell that he was on the brink of falling asleep. Airae waited for the boy to continue; he knew she was listening.

"Airae, why can't we go home? I miss Mom and Dad, why do we have to stay here?"

Blinking away the tears that his unexpected question arose, she didn't turn to face her brother. Airae stared at the pavement in front of her instead, searching for the right words to say. "Michael…I've told you before, we can't go home. We have nowhere else to go, but I'm trying. I'm trying."

Airae looked over her shoulder to see the boy's reaction, terrified that she might see resentment or blame in his eyes. But she was greeted with neither, for the boy had already fallen asleep, his head resting against the brick wall behind him.

Airae let out a deep breath, leaning forward to place her head in her hands. She had been sitting on the street corner for almost the entire day, waiting for passerby generous enough to donate some spare change. She hadn't been able to gather as much as she hoped, although she had been afraid that she wouldn't have any better luck if she moved to a different street. People just weren't as kind to strangers anymore, even if those strangers were starving children.

She stretched her short legs out in front of her, relieving her muscles from their cramped position. Airae didn't need to look behind her to know that her brothers were asleep, she could feel their dreams pressing against her mind.

Smiling, she allowed herself to slip into the youngest one's for several moments, amazed by the youthful innocence that simply radiated from everything there. Airae pulled herself away reluctantly, her happiness quickly evaporating. She could remember all too clearly what had happened the _last_ time she had meddled in another's sleeping habits, and the memory was still too painful for her to approach.

Not for the first time, Airae wondered what she was. For as long as she could remember, she possessed the ability to experience the dreams of those around her, to slide herself into the dream and see for herself what it was like. As she grew older, Airae learned that she was able to manipulate not only the dreams, but could also _persuade_ the minds of others to simply fall asleep.

She had only ever tried it once. And that experience had left her without parents, without a home, with no means of providing for her younger brothers.

They had been on their own for two weeks, and already the boys were on the brink of starvation.

Airae let out a string of curses, kicking a stray pebble at her feet. She watched it skid across the road and come to a stop several feet away. Running a hand through her limp blonde hair, Airae closed her eyes in frustration. It wasn't as if she hadn't tried to find a job, but who would want to hire a filthy, inexperienced girl?

Why couldn't she have controlled herself? Surely there must have been some way for her to influence her parents without actually harming them? She could understand why the rest of her family wanted nothing to do with her after what had happened, but why did they have to punish the boys as well? They had done nothing wrong; it was all her fault…

Airae cried out in anger, stomping her foot against the pavement roughly. It wasn't _fair, _what had happened to her brothers. They were completely innocent, and would probably die because of her inability to provide for them. Protect them as a sister should.

A slight noise to her left startled her out of her thoughts, and Airae glanced upwards, surprised to see that a man had approached while she had been lost in her emotion. Scrambling to her feet, Airae tried not to let herself be intimidated by his tall stature and stern features.

She was prepared to recite her familiar routine, and had just opened her mouth to speak when the man raised a hand to stop her, shaking his head slightly.

Airae studied the stranger apprehensively, taking in the obvious smells of liquor and cigarette smoke that surrounded him like a cloud. He had thick, broad shoulders, which were covered in a neatly pressed dark coat. The features of his face were mostly hidden by a brimmed hat that rested upon his head, but she could see that his face was slim and cleanly shaven.

Airae watched as the man studied her for several moments, then allowed himself a grin which showed rotting, yellowed teeth. "Hello there, beautiful. Begging, I see. Why are always the pretty ones so often in trouble?"

Eyes widening in fear, Airae managed to take several steps away from the man, who was still grinning crookedly. She had met creeps like this man, but on those occasions, she had had the strength to run away. Adrenaline could only do so much when a body had been without food for three days. She said nothing, but was forced to do a double-take as she watched the man pull several wads of cash from inside his coat pocket.

Still smiling at her with as much charm as he could manage, he threw it into the tin at her feet, and watched as the girl hastily retrieved the money and began to count it, her face frozen in shock as she counted the figures again.

Glancing up suspiciously, Airae clutched the money to her chest, almost as if she were afraid the man would take it back. "What do you want?" She asked, defensiveness still plain in her tone. It was easy to see she didn't trust the man, but he hadn't expected her to anyway.

Rather than answer the girl's question, the stranger jerked his head in the direction of the sleeping boys, leaving it cocked to the side questioningly.

"Am I wrong in believing that those are your brothers? They are so young, for the world to have shown them such cruelty."

Airae glanced from the boys back to the stranger, choosing not to reply. She knew that he must have had some ulterior motive for his kindness, and was waiting for him to reveal what that was.

He tilted his head so that he was able to take in all of her, from her tattered clothing to the matted hair that hung in strands around her face. "How would you like to work for me? I can help you support your brothers; you won't have to live in such poverty."

Running the edges of the bills between her fingers, Airae didn't look at the stranger. He pressed on, watching her intently.

"They will never go hungry again. They will have a proper shelter above their heads, warm clothes, a place to live and be happy. They can have a home."


	2. Already Broken

**Author's Note: **Hey guys, I would really appreciate your reviews on this. Not sure where this story is going, but I've had the characters stuck in my mind since the movie, and I just had to get it out of my system. I'd love to hear what you think.

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><p><em>3 years later<em>

A string of curses ran through her mind as Airae sat up on the silken sheets, trying not to replay the previous night in her mind. A quick glance at the clock beside the room told her that it was nearing afternoon, and that she wouldn't be alone for much longer.

Closing her eyes once again, she tried to put her head in her hands, but was stopped by something jerking at her arm. Airae glared angrily at the metal cuff attached to her left hand, chaining her to the bed. She started to look around for something to free herself with, but upon seeing the tangled bedsheets, felt sick at her stomach almost immediately.

The lock on the door to the single bedroom clicked quietly as the door opened, but Airae didn't bother looking to see who had entered. She knew who it was. Running a hand through her blonde curls, Airae worked at the tangles that had formed. She refused to look in the direction of the man who had entered, even as he approached her where she was sitting on the edge of the bed.

She bent to the floor to retrieve a white robe that had lain there, but the man caught her hand in a grip so firm she knew there would be a bruise later. He jerked her arm roughly, stretching it out so that the skin at her inner arm was fully exposed.

No stranger to what would happen next, Airae merely let out a hiss of disgust as the man pulled a syringe from inside his pocket. She struggled feebly to break his grip, but she knew that it wouldn't do much good. She was too weak to fight him, he was always stronger. Airae stared up at the man with as much hatred as she could summon. When she spoke, her voice was full of unconcealed spite.

"How much were you paid for _this_ one?"

The man jerked her arm cruelly, twisting as he did so. Airae cried out in pain before she was able to stifle the noise, unable to stop tears from streaking down her face. She didn't take her eyes away from his face, almost fascinated by the lack of expression in his gaze. It was as if the man truly felt no compassion for those around him.

His voice was rough, and Airae turned her head away as the needle pressed into her skin. She couldn't stand the thin bits of metal that were forced into her body against her will; the lack of control frightened her almost as badly as the man inflicting the damage.

A noise of disgust left her throat, and Airae closed her eyes as she felt the all-too familiar liquid enter her bloodstream. "When will you stop poisoning me? I know how to behave."

She felt a hand grab her chin and jerk her face so that she was looking straight into the man's dark brown eyes, a sadistic grin covering his face. "I'm not stupid, sweetheart. I know that the minute I stop pumping these sedatives through you, you'll use your _freak_ powers on me, and my best girl will be gone. Don't look so resentful, babe. I take good care of you, don't I?"

Airae's vision had already begun to blur, but she tried to shake off the drowsiness that was beginning to set in. Her movements were sluggish and her voice slurred when she spoke, but she managed a few more minutes of consciousness.

She watched as he leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers roughly and shoving her back onto the bed. Airae was unable to do anything against him but wait.

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><p><em>Xavier Mansion.<em>

Erik watched as Charles emerged from Cerebro, waiting for his friend to speak before he did. Seeing the look on the younger man's' face, Erik knew it would be best to be silent until the Professor had regained his composure. They made their way into a sitting area, Erik studying his friend's face carefully.

Charles' normally peaceful eyes were narrowed in what could only be described as anger, although Erik had rarely seen Charles upset. His lips were drawn into a thin line, and his jaw was set forward as if he were trying to keep himself from speaking too soon. In all, he looked very shaken as he lowered himself into an armchair and motioned for Erik to do the same.

Raising an eyebrow, Erik grinned at his friend. He was amused that Charles had seen something which could rattle him in such a manner, and was about to ask the telepath what he had seen when Charles began speaking .

"There's a girl, her name is Airae I believe. She's living in a—" Charles stopped, looking away roughly. He couldn't bring himself to describe what her life was like.

Erik nodded in understanding, the grin still plastered on his face. It seemed as if every other mutant girl they picked up came from a whorehouse or strip club; he wondered if there was something that drew the girls to those places. Before he could voice his opinions aloud, Charles was already shaking his head, apparently having read Erik's thoughts.

"You know it's not fair to judge these kids before we meet them, Erik. We have no idea what their lives were like, what drove them to do what they have. I will go get this girl alone, if I must, but you must show a little more compassion for the children we help."

Erik's eyes narrowed, and he muttered under his breath. "I doubt she's a child anymore, after what she's been doing."

Charles stopped his lecture, staring at his friend coldly. Erik sighed, getting to his feet slowly. "Stop acting like a professor. Are we going to fetch her, or would you rather berate me on my people skills?"


	3. To the Rescue

**Author's Note: **Sorry the last chapters were so short you guys, wanted to get the background set up as much as possible. Longer chapters coming up, I'm making them just for you. Not everyone else, just you.

I feed off your reviews. Don't let me starve.

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><p>Airae's head rolled to the side drunkenly, her eyes blinking slowly. The bright light hurt her eyes, and she was forced to wait several minutes until she was able to see clearly. Glancing around, Airae saw that she was still laying on the bed, arm still bound to the bedpost. Still a prisoner.<p>

Shaking her head in an attempt to clear the drowsiness, she tugged halfheartedly at the cuff around her wrist. The metal chafed at the raw skin underneath, and a trickle of blood ran down her arm. Listening to the silence for several minutes, Airae decided that she was alone once again. With renewed determination, she began tugging at the cuff, ignoring the pain shooting up her arm. She would get out of her bonds if it meant ripping her arm off. At last, Airae felt the metal slip further up onto her hand, saw that it now rested just below the ball of her thumb. Staring at her bony hand, she wondered if she would have the strength to get away. She remembered hearing from somewhere that once the thumb was broken, the hand would retract in on itself. Assuming the claim was true, could she bring herself to do it?

Licking her cracked lips, Airae braced herself. Anything was better than being here. Bones could heal, but she would never be able to rid herself of the scars this place had given her already. How would she live if she were forced to endure more?

Just as she had readied herself, the door to the room was flung open, and her _employer_ burst in. Airae let out a sob of surprise, fear sapping the strength she had gathered. Upon seeing what she was planning, he let out an angry roar, storming over to where she lay. The stench of liquor coming from the man was strong, and Airae nearly gagged as the odor assaulted her nose. Before she could react, his hand struck her in the face and she collapsed limply onto the sheets. Tears ran down her face uncontrollably, her chest shaking with sobs. Airae let out a scream of pain, but the man paid no attention. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her upright, shaking her violently. "What's wrong with you, slut? Trying to get away from me?"

Airae was unable to answer, her eyes wide with terror. She had been the recipient of his drunken rages before, she knew it would be best not to reply and infuriate the man further.

"Are you going to answer me? Don't I take good _care_ of you?"

His words were accentuated by slaps to the face and violent jerks of her shoulders. Seemingly disgusted, the man shoved her away from him forcefully, the girl's body twisting in an attempt not to hurt her bound arm.

Airae screamed as she felt a sharp pain in her wrist from the force of her fall, her hand buckling in on itself. She looked up at the man in horror, waiting for what he would do to her next. But she saw that he had turned away from her and was in the process of lighting a cigarette, the smoke curling around his head as he inhaled deeply.

Doing her best not to voice her pain, Airae tugged at her wrist softly, shocked to find that it was able to slide out of its position easily. As soon as her arm was free, the girl clutched it to her chest, breathing heavily. She was afraid to look at the mangled hand, worried that the sight might make her lose focus. Her gaze narrowed on the man standing before her, still oblivious to the fact that his prisoner had broken loose. He would pay for how she had suffered.

Airae's good fist tightened around a handful of silken sheets, trying to control the tremors that racked her thin body. She stared at the man in front of her, her hatred and rage building with each passing second. He was the one who had tricked her, taken her away from her brothers and all she had left in the world. She had been beaten, drugged, and put through endless abuse at the hands of this man, not to mention what he had allowed others to pay to do to her.

Barely noticing what she was doing, Airae's lips pulled back to show her teeth in an inhuman snarl. How dare this man use her then simply turn around and act as if she were as merely a piece of shit he had stepped in? She deserved more than that.

"Turn around."

Her own voice surprised her, she hadn't realized that she was actually going to follow through with what her instincts told her, and certainly hadn't known that she could put that much venom in just a few words. She watched as he pulled away the cigarette, slowly and deliberately, opening his mouth to let out a stream of smoke. He didn't turn as she had demanded, but she could hear the suppressed anger in his voice. He didn't allow others to speak to him like that, let alone his _whores. _

"What did you just say?"

Airae was unable to stifle the built up fury that she had been keeping in, her frustration exploding in a loud shriek. "_I told you to turn around!" _

He shook his head in disbelief, putting out the cigarette against the windowsill. His hand went to his belt, where Airae knew he always carried a knife. Her breaths came in short gasps as she remembered what he could do to her, but she calmed herself with the knowledge that this time, he wouldn't be able to hurt her. This time, she would be the one with all the power.

"Bitch, do I need to teach you some manners?" He whirled to face her, eyes alight with anger, and started to lunge toward Airae. She shrieked in surprise, momentarily paralyzed with fear. Before the knife reached her, he halted, seeing that her arm was free of its bond. Grunting dismissively, he continued his attack, bringing the blade across her exposed abdomen. It slashed across her ribcage, creating a shallow cut that welled blood almost instantly. Airae screamed, unable to do anything but wish for everything to end. _Make it stop, I'll do anything just let this _stop.

The thought became a mantra in her mind, building in a crescendo of fear until she couldn't feel anything else. _STOP. _

She hadn't realized that the last word had erupted from her mouth in a horrible screech, and she unwittingly lashed out with her mind, barely seeing the man crumble to the ground in front of her, fast asleep. Airae paused in her noise, her breathing heavy and uneven, much too loud in the following silence.

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><p>Erik stared at the building, an utterly unimpressed expression stamped across his face. The apartment building was an older one, like the others that surrounded it. The once-red brick had faded, and was now an unassuming shade of brown. The yard wasn't particularly well-kept, just enough so that it couldn't be considered unruly. Charles stood beside him, glancing worriedly at the apartment building, concern easily distinguishable on his features. He nodded, answering the unasked question he had sensed in Erik's mind. "Yes, she's in there. Come, we'd better hurry."<p>

Charles led the way, entering the building with not even a knock to announce their arrival. They were in a lobby of sorts, with an old mahogany desk on the far end to their left, and an elevator straight ahead, flanked by doors that led to the stairway. The floral wallpaper that had once covered the walls was now peeling in many places, adding to the absence of light to give the room an altogether eerie feel.

Erik glanced at his companion questioningly, eyes roaming over the dilapidated features of the room. "Are there any others here?"

Charles had to but reach his mind outward for the briefest moment before answering. "There are many people in these rooms, yes. What else would you expect from such a place?" He didn't add what state those people were in, for it pained him to not be able to do anything to help them. They ranged from healthy, thriving young people to those on the brink of death, and no hope left. It wouldn't do to rescue these girls from their own choices, he had come here for a purpose.

"As for the mutant, she is currently on the third floor." Charles paused, sensing the other human in the room with her. He pulled away, back into his own mind, and added almost as an afterthought, "And she's not alone."

Erik rolled his eyes irritably, placing his hands in the pockets of his trousers. "Great, I've always wanted to walk in on a—"

Charles cut off his sarcastic comment with a stern glare, then started walking towards the elevator. "Save it, Erik. I don't want you antagonizing this girl; I expect you will show her the utmost courtesy." Without bothering to wait for a response, Charles stepped forward until he reached a door near the side of the elevator. Nodding his head, Charles indicated that Erik should follow. "Come, we'll take the stairs."

Erik followed silently, his mouth set in a thin line in annoyance. His friend's low tolerance for discussion of such topics didn't particularly bother him, but it was frustrating to be reprimanded for only stating what any other would have done. Not everyone could be as perfectly mannered as Charles Xavier. Erik wasn't surprised when, as soon as the thought passed through his mind, Charles began to speak.

"Erik, you do realize that I'm just trying to do everything I can to make this girl feel welcome." As he spoke, they exited the stairwell and entered the third floor hallway, lined with wooden doors. The two began walking to the end of the hallway, Charles still talking. "It simply won't help her if you approach her with opinions already formed. And as for my manners, that is—"

He was stopped short by a sudden scream that erupted from the door on the far end of the hall. Startled, Charles reached out with his mind for the source of the noise. Eyes wide, he spoke to the man behind him, raising his voice over the continued shrieks.

"It's the girl, it's coming from her room. Hurry, we must help her!" When he was met with no answer, Charles turned toward his friend and was stunned to see that he had collapsed onto the floor, his body spread out at odd angles where he had fallen. He knelt beside Erik, projecting his mind forward, but to his utter shock, he realized that Erik had merely fallen asleep. Confused, he lightly slapped his friend's face, watching it roll to the side with the blow while he called out his name. It did nothing.

Preparing to use his mental coercion to wake him, Charles was stopped by the sound of another agonized shriek coming from the room their target was in. Rising to his feet, Charles ran towards the room, Erik momentarily forgotten. When he reached the door to the furthest room, he frantically shook the handle, not surprised to find it locked. He paused to catch his breath, his breathing having picked up. At that moment, Charles realized that the screaming had stopped, and he was unable to hear any other sounds coming from the room beyond.

Determined, he braced his shoulder against the door and shoved, feeling the wood rattle against its hinges. Muttering curses underneath his breath, he repeated the action, stumbling forward when the door burst open from the force of the impact.


	4. Don't Hurt Me

**Author's Note:** Oh my god you guys, for some reason I am unable to stop writing this. I've got the next three chapters all ready to post, although I've decided that I'm just going to do one chapter a day. Oh, and guess what? I also have a plot now. Hold your applause.

Thanks to my (3) reviewers. I'm not sure if you can reply to reviews any other way, so I'll just thank them here: Thanks. To everyone else, please consider a review. It really makes me feel as though I'm not just talking to myself.

_Also, does anybody know what age Charles is supposed to be in the film? I did some math of my own using numbers that I pulled from my ear, and I didn't like what it came out as. Just wanted to check with someone else._

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><p>Airae wasn't sure how long she stared at the body of the man on the floor, it could have been hours, or mere seconds. She was picturing her parents' bodies in his place, how she hadn't wanted to harm them, but they had just suddenly <em>fallen asleep. <em>At that moment, she felt the presence of the others on the same floor, and realized she had done the same to them. Oh god, what had she done? Hadn't she sworn never to use her abilities again, because this could happen? She raised a trembling hand to her mouth, only to pull it away in horror as she saw the blood that it was covered in. It was her own, the very blood that was running down her bare stomach from the cut on her chest.

At that moment, she was startled by the sound of the door rattling against its hinges. Surely her screams had drawn attention, but what kind of person had come to her aid? For all she knew, it could be one of _his_ associates, come to see what had gone wrong. She let out a squeak of terror, pulling herself away from the bed and stumbling forward, tripping over the body of the sleeping man. It had been so long since she'd walked on her own, she wasn't quite sure if she remembered how.

Hearing the door shake again with renewed force, Airae let out a sob, sliding to the floor and huddling against the wall. She had nowhere else to go, she was backed into a corner in every sense of the phrase. When the door flew open with a loud crash, she flinched away from the noise, folding her knees against her chest and covering her face with her bloodied hands.

Charles studied the scene around him, taking in the twisted bedsheets, the slumbering man on the floor, and the blood that sprinkled the floor and bed. Finally, his gaze turned to the naked girl cowering in the corner, could feel every ounce of her terror, and it pained him that she would be so afraid of him, of anyone. She stared up at him with wild eyes, and in that moment, she looked truly feral.

The girl's hair was a tangled mess, sticking out at odd angles that suggested it hadn't been brushed in ages. Blood was smeared over her arms, but he wasn't able to tell where it had come from, or even if it was hers. Bruises covered every inch of her upper body, ending with a recently split lip that she probably hadn't even noticed was there. And those eyes, _god those eyes. _Charles couldn't bring himself to look away, he was held there by the lonely look in them, the haunted appearance. What had happened to her?

He began to step towards her, offering a hand to help her to her feet, but she shrieked before he had finished the first step.

"Please don't hurt me! I didn't mean to do it, I swear I didn't mean to harm him, you have to believe me_. _You can do anything you want to me, but _please just let me go_!" The words came out in a rush, nearly drowned out by the sobs that shook her entire body. Charles looked into her mind, trying to make sense of what had happened to her. He had a pretty close guess, but she was on the brink of collapse from exhaustion and shock, and he was unable to make sense of the jumble of images that flooded her mind.

Seeing that she was incredibly weak, he walked forward slowly, not wanting to startle her. His voice was calm and soothing, sliding over her ears like honey compared to the rough shouts she was accustomed to. "I mean you no harm, I've come only to help you."

As he approached, Airae let out a feeble whimper, desperately waving her broken hand at him in an attempt to ward the man away. She hated that she was unable to defend herself, but was too physically weak to do anything, and was too afraid to try and use her ability on him. What if she killed someone else? He continued to advance, and she kicked at his feet with all the force of a kitten batting its paw at a piece of yarn. Airae let out a wild sob, pressing herself further against the wall, trying to put more distance between herself and the man. "Go away! Leave me alone, _please._"

Charles was close enough to her that he could kneel and look directly into her eyes, reaching forward. The girl made a noise that was somewhere between a growl and a cry, turning her head so that she didn't have to look at him. "Listen to me, I am not going to hurt you. You're injured, you need medical help."

His hand closed gently over the arm with the broken wrist, pulling it gently toward him so that he was able to look at it more closely. Charles wasn't able to tell if she didn't resist at all, or if she tried to pull away and her attempt was so weak he didn't notice it. Examining the hand, he tried to ignore the cruel chafe marks that encircled her wrist, the skin around it raw like meat. One glance at the hand told him that it was broken, and he reached out to grab the other arm, placing both his hands on her shoulders.

"Can you stand up? I need you to get to your feet if you are able; I'll help you if you will allow me." The girl glared at him, her stare icy, but he didn't release the pressure on her shoulders, and she stretched out her legs tentatively, leaning against the wall for support. The muscles in her legs trembled with the effort, but she was finally able to stand.

Airae noticed the man looking at the cuts and bruises across her body, thankfully not asking anything about how she got them. She avoided his gaze, chin jutting forward in embarrassment. Her voice was low, so much different from the pleading cries of earlier, raw from the screams of the past hour. "Don't stare at me," She muttered angrily, painfully aware of her lack of clothing.

Charles hadn't been looking at her in that way, and he suspected that she knew it, she just didn't want his scrutiny. Still, he respectfully averted his eyes, only reaching out to grab her when she stumbled forward unsteadily. Airae clutched at his arm instinctively, angry at herself for needing his help. Gone was all her fear, it had been replaced by her stubborn distrust of this man who promised to help her. That's what _he_ had promised as well, and that didn't end up like she had hoped at all.

Taking a stab at conversation, Charles helped the girl across the room, noticing her fumbling steps and shaking legs. "How long has it been since you've last walked?" His voice had been as gentle as possible, yet the girl still bristled as if he had offended her. She was about to answer when her legs gave away beneath her, and Airae would have crumpled to the ground had not Charles grabbed her waist. The fight gave out of her, and she hung there limply, too exhausted to push away.

"I don't…I can't remember." Her head was swimming, it seemed as though her thoughts were growing foggier with each passing second. She tried to look up at the man holding her, but her eyes didn't stop moving when she asked them to, instead continuing to roll back in their sockets. Airae couldn't see anything, but she heard the man's voice, soothing her. "You're going to be fine. As you are in no condition to move on your own, I'm going to carry you. You can still hear me, yes? I'm going to get you out of here, don't worry, everything will be fine."

Charles scooped her into his arms, unnerved by how weightless she seemed. Surely it wasn't possible for a human to be so emaciated. He looked down at her face, worried for her. He was fairly sure that her physical condition wasn't immediately life-threatening, startling as it was, but he was more concerned about her mental state. It was clear that this girl was just a few steps away from breaking, and he wasn't sure if anyone would be able to pick up the pieces.

He wished he could have used his abilities to soothe her mind, to calm her enough so that she could rest peacefully, but her mind was in too much of a turmoil for him to be of any use. Instead, Charles made his way out of the room and into the hallway, where he saw Erik, still asleep where he had fallen on the floor. Unable to put the girl down to tend to Erik, he settled for pushing his mind against that of his friend, breaking through the layer of sleep.

Concentrating all the effort he could into the command, he spoke directly to his friend's mind, ordering him to do as he told. _Erik, wake up. .WAKE UP._

The man jumped to a start, his eyes blinking sleepily in the light. He stared around groggily for several seconds, then blinked up at Charles in confusion, taking in the girl in his arms without the reaction Charles would have expected. Instead, he raised a hand to his head, shaking it vigorously to clear his thoughts.

"I don't know where I am, I have a killer headache, and I feel as if my body is trying to kill me. You're carrying a half-dead naked girl in your arms as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. Charles, please explain to me what is happening, because I'm assuming that I am _not_ drunk off my ass, as much as it feels so."

Charles chuckled lightly, shifting the girl so that he was able to offer Erik a hand and help him to his feet. "We came here to visit a mutant girl, the one that you now see in my arms. Apparently she has a powerful ability, one quality of which being that she is able to force those around her into a deep sleep." He paused, feeling the rooms around them to confirm what he thought before continuing. "Including those on this entire floor. You, unfortunately, were affected, and I have since retrieved the girl. She needs medical attention, and I'm afraid she also lacks some proper clothing. So if you don't mind, please lend this poor girl your jacket."

Erik shot an unhappy glance at the girl, glancing at the blood that had smeared over most of her upper body. "Is it really necessary for me to loan her my clothing? She'll get blood _all over_ it, and it isn't as if she can't wait half an hour until we get to the mansion." His voice dropped to a murmur, so low that Charles was unable to tell if it was what he really heard. "Certainly she's gone longer without it."

A cold glance from Charles silenced him quickly, and he rolled his eyes, muttering as he shrugged the brown leather jacket off his shoulders. He draped it over the girl unceremoniously, hiding both her face and injuries. He raised his eyebrows at Charles, who said nothing at the moody gesture. "There, she's all covered up now. Let's go, my head is throbbing."


	5. Waking Up

**Author's Note: **So I'm thinking that once this story is pretty much established, it might just morph into a series of one-shots of the two. Because at the moment, all I can picture in my head are these adorable little scenes that really do much other than make you say "Awww" and want to squish Charles (like a marshmallow ;D). I'd also like to say thanks to HuesOfGreenx and everyone else who has reviewed, you made my day a lot better than it had been going.

Also, I feel the need to mention that this is set during First Class, they are living at the mansion with Charles and Erik still recruiting every now and then (thus Airae).

Oh, and her name is pronounced _eye-rayee_ (Can you tell I am in no way an expert at describing how words sound?)_._ Although it sounds cooler than _eye-rayee_ actually looks if you say it right. Because _eye-rayee _just looks bizarre. Baconpants.

One more thing. I honestly don't mind constructive criticism. I will do my best to take anything you have to say into consideration, even if it is negative. If you feel like ripping this apart, feel free, it can only make me better.

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><p>Charles found himself drawn to her bedside, where he had spent the majority of his time the past four days, just staring at the sleeping girl. She had yet to wake up from the her sleep, but they had agreed it would be best for her to rest for several extra days, to give her time for both body and mind to piece itself back together. He stared down at the frail girl, gaze filled with pity. He wanted her to live: he somehow felt personally responsible for her well-being, and had taken a great interest in her recovery.<p>

He wasn't sure why, but he guessed that it had something to do with the haunted look that had been in her gaze as she stared at him; the guttural screams that had ripped themselves free of her throat before he found her; the desperation in her voice as she pleaded with him. "_You can do anything to me, just please let me go."_ What state of mind could someone be in to negotiate in such a manner? It had nearly broken his heart to watch her.

Charles was startled out of his thoughts by a hand pressed against his shoulder, a gentle voice whispering softly close by. "How is she doing?" He didn't need to turn around to know that it was Raven who had approached him. She had been incredibly understanding of his concern for the girl, and had taken as much of an interest in her as Charles had. He lifted his hand to place it on top of his sister's, not breaking his gaze from the blonde who lay on the bed.

"She's doing fine, but you knew that already, her condition has been since she arrived." Raven was silent, and Charles resisted the urge to look into her mind to find out what she was really thinking. He had promised never to do so, and wasn't about to break that promise just from a few moments of curiosity. Taking a deep breath, his sister stepped to his side so that he was able to look into her eyes. They were hazel today, the same color as the girl they both stood over now.

"Charles, Erik told us about her power...That she managed to knock out an entire floor of humans while barely conscious. Is it true? Should we really be allowing her to stay here when she's got an ability that she can hardly control?"

He turned to face Raven, stunned that she had brought up such thoughts. He couldn't imagine that she would have said something so rude about a guest, especially since she had seemed to care about the sleeping girl. Pushing back his irritation unsuccessfully, he replied immediately. "Raven, what would you have me do, throw her back onto the streets? She is free to come and go as she pleases: if the girl chooses to leave, then we will respectfully allow her to do so. If she wishes to stay, then we will accommodate her gracefully. Look, the same could be said of Alex, or even Erik, yet I don't see anyone raising questions about their right to stay here."

Raven was quiet during his speech, head turned so that she could examine the sleeping girl's face while avoiding her brother's piercing gaze. She felt genuinely bad for what she had to say, but she knew that the others had been thinking the same, and had to wonder if the thought had even crossed Charles' mind. Judging from his prompt response, it probably had. Raven reached out to touch the girl's arm where her bonds had left the skin raw, pulling her hand away when the girl twitched in response. "Yes, but we know that Erik and Alex are on our side. Who says that this girl won't walk out of here and go blast through every human she sees the minute she crosses through those doors? What if she goes to Shaw? It happened with Angel."

When she looked at him, Charles met her gaze evenly. "Sides? Raven, my dear, you're starting to sound like Erik. I hope this doesn't become a habit as bad as his: always looking for the worst in others."

"And you're always searching for the best!" Her voice was rough, so unlike her usual self. "Look, Charles, I'm just trying to point something out here. Stay or leave, whichever she chooses, we'll have a problem. I have no doubt you can teach her to control her ability as you have the others, but what if she decides that she doesn't want to stay with us anymore? Would it be that bad of an idea to keep her here so that we can keep an eye on her, keep others safe?"

Closing his eyes in frustration, Charles replied coldly. "Raven, I know the questions you ask are legitimate concerns, but I do hope you realize that you're suggesting I force this girl to stay with us against her will. Surely you would know better than that."

His sister whirled to face him fully, flickering back to her blue form. in her anger at his refusal to agree with her. "Don't blame me for giving a voice to what you've already considered. I'm just more open about it. I know you have an issue with using your ability on others without their knowledge, but believe me when I say that it might be for the best this time."

Charles was stunned. He could very easily create an illusion, make the girl want to stay, force her to feel as if she were safe, at peace. It would ensure that she stayed with them, and didn't run off to join Shaw, but could he ever forgive himself if he did so? By the time he had managed to think of a response, Raven had stalked away moodily, leaving a trail of irritation in her wake. He stared after her sadly, wondering what had gone wrong with their conversation.

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><p>Her world was dark. There was pain, oh so much pain, but she was unable to tell whether she was imagining things, or if there were really a hole in her chest as it felt. She couldn't tell why, but she was unable to shake the feeling of being utterly <em>alone.<em> She was missing someone…two people, actually, but who were they? Images swam before her mind, and she made out a two young faces: one framed with unruly blonde hair, the other shortly cropped brown hair. They stared at her, two boys crying out for help. She ran blindly, calling out. _Who were they? _She wanted to help them—no, she needed to help them. She felt it in her very bones: whoever the boys were, they were important to her. They relied on her, they depended on her.

And all of a sudden, everything came back in a blinding flash, crowding her mind until she was overwhelmed by the memories. Torn away from brothers who needed her, sedated like a stupid animal as others used her body, escaping her bonds, what had followed afterwards. She remembered a man, a voice: layered with such kindness that it could only have been feigned. No one cared about her.

Opening her eyes with a start, Airae tried to sit up, but was stopped by a gentle pressure on her chest. Eyes wild in helpless terror, she struggled against whatever was holding her down before realizing that it was a young man, the same who had came to her aid in the apartment. Airae slowed her breathing, remembering his promise. _"I'm not going to hurt you." _She wondered what made her want to believe him—she didn't truly believe he meant what he had said, not yet, but she wanted to all the same. It would be nice to live in an environment where she wasn't constantly afraid of everyone around her.

Glaring at the man in question, she slid backwards in the bed so that he was no longer touching her, almost daring him to do so again. He smiled kindly at her, withdrawing his hand and placing it in the pocket of his trousers. "Hello there. My name is Charles, Charles Xavier. May I know to whom I am speaking?"

Airae ignored his question, glancing around the room in a state of half-panic, half-curiosity. There was only one exit: a mahogany door on the far end of the room, but if she had felt the urge to escape, she would have found her way blocked by Charles, who was standing right in front of her. Trying to subdue the anxiety rising in her chest, she pulled the thin blankets up to her neck, noticing that she had been changed into a pair of plain white garments. She briefly wondered who had dressed her, but decided to worry about that later. It wasn't as if the experience was anything new.

"Where am I? Why am I here, what do you want with me?" The words came out quickly, almost as if she hadn't realized she was speaking. Airae tore her eyes away from the man just long enough to examine her arm, half-expecting to see the manacle back in its usual place. Instead, she found merely a band of scars lining that wrist, peeking out from beneath a bandage that held her fingers in place while the bones healed.

"You are at my home, the safe haven I've created for mutants such as yourself. I found you in...that home, and have brought you here to heal. You are perfectly free to leave as you wish, but I do hope you consider staying for a while, it seems as if you had nowhere to go."

Airae's head felt as if it were spinning, but she forced herself to focus on what the man was saying. One word in particular stuck out, and she tested it uneasily, not sure if she was fond of how it described her. "Mutant?" She had always thought she was alone, a freak among other normal humans-or at least that was what _he_ had always told her. She was shocked to realize that there was a word for what she was, and noticed how Charles had used it in the plural sense. There were others.

Charles could sense her mounting excitement, battling with her distrust. "You have an extraordinary ability, if you don't mind me saying. Am I correct in saying that you are able to coerce the minds of others to fall asleep as you wish?"

The girl was silent for several minutes, and he had begun to wonder if maybe she hadn't heard him, or had fallen asleep again, before she answered quietly. "I can also enter their dreams, alter them how I see fit." There was no pride in her voice, nor hostility as he had been met with previously. She just seemed completely drained of energy, life. What was she thinking about that had brought such a change in emotion? He tried to keep the pleasantness in his tone, doing his best to make her feel welcome.

"That is quite the groovy mutation, if I do say so myself. Forgive me, for not introducing myself properly earlier. I'm a telepath, able to read your mind and the minds of those around me." He smiled charmingly, then noticed her agitation at his words, clearly not fond that her thoughts were not private. "Oh no, I'm not using my ability now, I feel as if to do so without your permission would be exceedingly rude."

She didn't say anything in response, but just continued to stare at him. Her eyes were wide, mouth slightly agape, and Charles was partly worried that he had frightened her. She glanced down at her hands, which were now twisting around the bedsheets. Her voice was so quiet that Charles was barely able to hear her when she spoke, and he leaned forward to listen.

"He told me that I was alone, that I was a freak." When the girl raised her head, Charles could see tears welling at the corners of her eyes. "Why should I believe you? How do I know that you're not lying?"

While waiting for him to reply, Airae decided irritably that she was sick of men. All they did was lie and hurt her, while using her for their own gain. What would make this man so different? She shook her head, cutting off his response with a sour one of her own. "Look, I don't really care. If you really want to help me, you won't make me stay here, you'll let me go."

There it was. Her test to see if he truly meant what he said. Airae knew that if he had no problems with her going free, he would make it clear. But she doubted he really would. It was the same thing _he_ had done: make her promises of freedom, make her think he had actually cared for her before bringing everything to a halt.

Charles looked uncomfortable at her statement, but he replied without hesitation. "Of course you are free to leave as you wish, no one will stop you if you should choose to go your own way. But I would really love it if you would at least spend a few days with us. If you don't enjoy my company, my sister Raven would be glad to show you around."

Airae nodded, turning her head away to let him know that she didn't feel like talking anymore. In truth, she was surprised at his reaction, and wanted to be able to process it without his presence. At his admittance to being a telepath, she was slightly worried that he would be listening in on her thoughts, and didn't want to give him the opportunity to listen in. Besides, everything else he had told her was simply too much to take in at one time, and she was still having a difficult time grasping the fact that there were others like her, who might understand her. Seeing that she wanted to be alone, Charles smiled gently then turned to walk out of the room. Before he crossed the door, he paused, not turning around. He could feel her eyes trained on his back, but she never had answered his question. "You never told me your name."

She didn't look away from him, even as he stopped and spoke, hand resting on the wooden doorframe. Her voice was weary, tired, but wasn't filled with the usual hostility. "No, I didn't." She agreed, not bothering to add more. They both waited in silence, he expecting the girl to continue, she wondering if he would press further. When she said nothing more, Charles left with a sigh, his footsteps echoing down the hall outside.


	6. Eavesdropping: Creepy Hobby

**Author's Note: (7/9/11) **Whoa you guys, I've noticed yesterday and today that when I update, my it will tell me that a new chapter has been added, and it says I have seven chapters, but when look into the story for the last chapter, it hasn't updated. I loaded the new chapter over an hour ago, so I don't think that's the problem. This is really frustrating, and I was wondering if it was happening to everyone or just me because I'm the author. Comments? o.O

I'm having a lot of fun writing this, and already it's larger than most things I've ever worked on. I think I've been working so hard because I'm trying to get past all the building up and get onto what I've really been craving to write. :D Tomorrow, you can expect _two_ chapters: I've been busy writing and I really want to hurry the process up.

You guys, whenever I picture Erik from the movie, the only thing I can imagine is the ridiculously huge grin on his face as he presses his head to the gun and begs Charles to shoot him. I burst into near hysterical laughter at the mental image every time, and spilled my cereal all over myself just while writing this sentence. I don't know why this is important, but I had to share it with someone. Erm...Krabby Patty.

_Edit:_ I just logged on to my email for the first time since posting this story (I had no idea we got alerts. *giggle*) and WOW, thanks to everyone for all the favorites and subscribing. You really just made my day.

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><p>Airae waited for his footsteps to fade into the distance before removing herself from the tangled bedsheets and swinging her legs over the side of the bed, cautiously, testing. She was unsure of how long she had been unconscious, but was glad that she was able to move without too much stiffness. Glancing around the room, she stared in wonder at the ornate bedframe, plush rug that covered the wooden floor, and beautifully framed paintings that lined the walls of her room.<p>

She had never seen a place so nicely furnished, and she was almost afraid to move for fear that she would break something. Spotting a wardrobe against the left wall, she tried to cross to the other side of the room but failed, tripping over her own feet and tumbling to the floor. Cursing in frustration, Airae pulled her knees to her chest, resting her head on them for several moments with eyes closed. A low knock at her door several seconds later startled her, and Airae hugged her knees tighter in response. It wasn't worth the bother to try and stand up just to fall down again in the process. Half-expecting it to be Charles returning, she called out loud enough so the person could hear. "You can come in."

The wooden door opened slowly, and Airae was surprised to see that the person who entered was a girl in her late teens or early twenties, blue eyes taking in every inch of the room. She was tall—or at least appeared so from Airae's position on the floor, and had lengthy blonde hair that fell in curls around her face. When her gaze fell on Airae's form, she stepped forward hesitantly, reaching out a hand. "Are you alright? Here, let me help you."

Airae said nothing but used the girl to pull herself to her feet, leaning on her outstretched arm for support. She was slightly irritated at needing the help of another, but was begrudgingly grateful that she hadn't asked why she was on the ground. Unsure whether she should sit down on the bed or continue to hobble around with the aid of this stranger, Airae stood awkwardly, clutching the other girl's arm.

Not mentioning the painful death grip that was surely cutting the circulation away from her hand, the girl smiled kindly. "I'm Raven, Charles' sister. You've spoken with him already, haven't you?" She watched as the girl nodded, her face still showing her discomfort. "Are you okay? You're still recovering from your injuries, are you sure you didn't hurt yourself again?"

Pressing her lips together, Airae nodded, speaking for the first time. "Yeah, just hadn't realized how sore I was until now. I'm Airae, by the way."

After helping Airae sit on the edge of the mattress, Raven perched beside her, crossing her legs beneath her. "Oh, I love your name, it's gorgeous. So where are you from, Airae? Your accent sounds so different."

Airae giggled, not sure what she found funny. Perhaps it was Raven's refusal to really describe her voice. "By _different,_ do you mean _country?_" The other girl looked taken aback, unsure of what to reply, but Airae continued anyway. "No, it's fine. I was raised in Georgia, but my family moved to New York when I was ten. I guess a bit of the accent stuck though, much to my family's horror."

Slightly confused, Raven took the opportunity to tuck a curl behind her ear. "Horror? Why would they think it so bad?"

Airae grinned, but as she spoke her smile quickly faded, turning to a bitter frown. "They weren't fond of anything that stood out; unordinary was almost a crime. I guess that's why they threw me out when they realized what I really was."

As Airae fell into silence, Raven looked at her own hands, thinking of what to say. She glanced up at the girl, eyebrows pinched together. "That _sucks._" Airae was unable to stifle the laugh that bubbled up, Raven having summed up her exact feelings in one short sentence.

After falling a sufficiently awkward silence, Raven got to her feet, grabbing the other girl's arm suddenly. "Come on, let me show you around the house, it's actually really cool. I can introduce you to everyone else while we're at it." When Airae squinted her eyes and began shaking her head uncertainly, Raven stuck out her lower lip, pouting. "Please?" The word was drawn-out, said with a whining tone that even Raven was surprised she could produce.

Airae suddenly found herself smiling at her new friend's antics, and wondered why she found herself wanting to like this Raven. It may have been her genuine honesty, or just the fact that Airae was so desperate for a friend who _wouldn't_ rape her she was latching onto the first female she met. Taking a deep breath, Airae gave in less than gracefully. "Fine, but you might have to carry me around everywhere, I seem to be having a little difficulty walking lately."

Raven lifted a fist into the air, and Airae flinched away instinctually, worried that she was about to hit her, then relaxed when the girl let out a hiss of delight. "Yes! Alright, let's go!" Feeling as if Raven's excitement was almost contagious, Airae laughed loudly.

Shakily standing to her feet, Airae once again was forced to use Raven's arm for assistance, shooting her an apologetic glance. "Sorry about this, I know it must not be fun having to literally drag me everywhere."

Raven merely shrugged the words away, flashing her teeth. "Don't worry about it. One day, when you recover, you can return the favor by carrying me around." As they made their way to the door, Airae paused when she saw her reflection in the mirror that was hanging on one wall. Raven waited patiently, thankfully not saying anything while Airae stared at her appearance for the first time in years. The girl she saw staring back was not what she had expected; she looked…haunted.

Her blonde hair framed her face nicely, someone obviously having combed it while she had been asleep. The bones in her face and shoulders protruded so that she looked like a skeleton, her skin eerily pale. The bruises she had acquired had faded slightly, and were now differing shades of yellow and green. Coupled with the split lip, blackened eye, and the patched up left hand, she looked fairly beaten up. Airae was surprised that Raven had managed not to say anything about her appearance, but glad she hadn't.

Airae was unsure as to how she felt about her own reflection, as she had never put much regard into her appearance anyway. The face in the mirror was so unfamiliar that it seemed as if she weren't even looking at herself, and she couldn't help but wonder if she really looked so _broken_. Her thinness, while really unsurprising, brought a flash of anger to her mind: hatred for the family who had thrown her out; for the man who had did this to her; not being able to stop him from defiling her in such a way. Hell, she would even be angry at God himself if she wanted—wasn't it his fault that she had been born a mutant?

When would she be allowed to decide what happened to her? It seemed as if everything that had happened in her life from the moment she realized what her abilities were had gone as wrong as possible. She had nobody who cared for her—not even her brothers, who she suspected were too young to have even suspected what was truly happening. Why did she have to be so goddamn _alone?_

Airae was cut away from her thoughts when her stomach let out a howl, startling both herself and Raven. She glanced at her new friend, a gentle reminder that she wasn't quite as alone as she had been. Seeing Airae's stare, Raven smiled kindly, tugging lightly on her arm that wasn't attached to a broken wrist. "Come on, let's get you some food."

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><p>Charles stood with his back facing the rest of the room, staring out the large window, but not quite looking at the landscape before him. His mind was focused on something else—or rather, on <em>someone<em> else. When he had returned to his bedchambers after his previous discussion with the girl, he had allowed his thoughts to wonder, periodically checking on where the other members of the household were—an action that had become almost instinctual, habit.

When he saw that Raven was making her way towards the new inhabitant's room, he hadn't been able to resist the urge to listen in on their conversation. Shrugging away the light feeling of guilt, he slipped into the young girl's mind, watching through her eyes. While feeling slightly less than terrible for intruding upon her thoughts without her knowledge, he _had_ promised Raven once that he would never do so to her; but at the moment, his curiosity had gotten the better of him. He told himself that he wouldn't be digging in her thoughts for information, so he wasn't really invading her privacy on such an intimate level.

He was surprised at how easily she slid into such an easy friendship with Raven: it seemed as if she had wholeheartedly fought each of his attempts at kindness earlier. Charles rationalized that she was probably just more comfortable around Raven because of her gender, an unfortunate barrier that he was unsure how to cross, and realized that he had come to the same conclusion moments before Airae herself had.

_Airae._ It was a lovely name, he had to admit. It was so unique, so different: it fit her perfectly. For several moments, he imagined himself striking up a conversation with her, breaking past her trust issues and allowing her to be herself, as she was with Raven. But Charles could clearly see that her view of him and his intentions was anything but friendly, and he honestly couldn't find a reason to blame her for it.

When the girl caught her own reflection in the mirror, Charles took the opportunity to withdraw from her mind, giving her the privacy that such a moment deserved. He had no desire to be a spectator to whatever reaction she might have: she looked so shattered already, he wasn't sure if he would be able to handle listening to her thoughts without making an attempt to soothe her, one which she would surely be aware of.

Letting out a sigh and returning to his own thoughts, he was surprised to find that he was not alone in his bedroom. A bemused Erik stood beside him, hands folded neatly behind his back as he stared at Charles. "You know, it is incredibly rude to eavesdrop Charles, I had thought that you were entirely above such a habit."

Knowing that he had been caught, Charles pursed his lips together and turned toward the window, suddenly very interested in the scenery outside. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Erik's voice was teasing, and Charles could detect the hint of a laugh as he spoke. "Oh really? Surely you were reading into _somebody's_ thoughts, as I have been standing here for the past twenty minutes and you haven't acknowledged me in the slightest—which, I might add, is incredibly rude. Whose thoughts were you lost in, Charles? I doubt Alex and Sean's discussion of the best way to get high is _that_ interesting to you: believe me, I was there. Who was it? Your new recruit?"

Charles turned toward his friend, a smile playing at his lips. "Airae is quite interesting, I was just trying to find out her name, as she has refused to share with me." At his last comment, Erik let out a huff of laughter, grin widening.

"So you were eavesdropping."

Chuckling at Erik's amusement, Charles looked down at his hands before tucking them into his pockets. When the laughter died away, his thoughts turned serious. "Actually, I was trying to discover what she thought of us; how she felt about everything." He sighed, meeting Erik's eyes. "Raven brought to my attention that some of the others were a little nervous at the thought of her staying, even though they fear the real danger would be if she left. Erik, she's so bitter, I feel that allowing her to leave could cause so much more harm than good. But forcing the girl to stay would break her completely."

Erik was silent for several moments, thinking. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, a hint of irony coloring his tone. "And here you are, faced with the same dilemma when I threatened to leave, so many nights ago. I remember your words Charles, regarding keeping me against my will. _I could, but I won't._ I think that sentence was the only reason I decided to come back, those five words kept me here."

Charles blinked in surprise—he hadn't realized how similar to Erik's situation this was—before quickly recovering. "Ah yes, but my friend, even though we had only known each other for a short amount of time, I knew you well enough to be sure that you would want to stay. Airae is a different matter completely."

"Wouldn't she know that you had influenced her decision? I am in no way approving of whatever you might do, but I'm just curious. The girl would be furious if she knew that you had kept her here against her will."

When Charles spoke, his voice was so impossibly sad Erik was nearly stunned. "To do so would cross a line that I never wish to near. Because, my friend, she wouldn't even know what I had done."


	7. When will the nightmare end?

**Author's Note: **Yesterday I promised 2 new chapters for no reason at all. (: This is the first, and I was planning on posting them together, but due to distractions, I was unable to edit the second chapter last night as planned. No worries, it'll still be posted today, just a tad bit later than usual.

This chapter is _long._ I apologize, but I couldn't find any way to shorten it without cutting out anything important, you'll see. ;)

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><p>"And finally, my room is right here. It's just down the hall from yours, so if you ever need <em>anything<em> please just let me know." Raven finished her tour with a flourish, throwing her bedroom door open wide enough so that Airae was able to see inside. Airae grinned at her new friend, still giddy at the idea that she actually had one.

Over the course of their walk throughout the mansion, she and Raven had talked the entire time: not even about anything in general, just speaking to pass the time. Airae had fallen into an easy friendship with the girl, and found that she was able to relax around her like she hadn't in years.

Yet while she felt that she could trust Raven easily enough, she still felt as though she wouldn't be able to truly understand what she had been through. While having the best of intentions at heart, Airae knew that Raven wasn't someone she could wholly confide in.

Even with those thoughts churning in her mind, Airae thanked Raven for showing her around the house, a walk that had taken most of the entire afternoon, along with most of her energy. While Airae had quickly improved at walking, and was able to do so on her own by the end of their tour, she still wasn't about to admit how exhausted their day had left her.

In a sudden burst of affection, Airae wrapped her arms around Raven's neck, each just as surprised at her gesture. When she pulled away, Raven held on to her arm, looking for all the world like a concerned mother. "Now, you remember where I told you the bathroom was? How about the kitchen, the library…I mean, we did go rather quickly, what if—"

Airae cut her off with a laugh, pulling away from her grip. "I'll be fine, I promise I'll let you know if I need anything. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed. It's way too late, and you've been dragging me around this house all day."

Rolling her eyes, Airae turned away as Raven shut her bedroom door behind her. She made her way down the hallway, checking to make sure that she remembered which door led to the bathroom, pleased that she had correctly guessed the one right beside her own room. Glancing at the shower, she suddenly couldn't remember the last time she had indulged in one herself. While she had awoken fairly clean and fresh, she still missed the feel of water on her skin.

Before she knew it, Airae was in the shower, letting the scalding water flow around her. Steam filled the room, and she breathed it in deeply, relishing in the smell of the scented soaps she used now. Before entering the shower, she had unwound the bandage that wrapped around her ribcage, exposing the cut she had received four nights prior.

Not sure what condition she had been in before the incident—as she liked to refer to it—she wasn't in the best position to determine how well her injuries were healing. However, they didn't look as particularly bad as she had expected: the bruises faded to a greenish yellow hue; the cut, which had been shallow enough that stitches were unnecessary, had formed a thick scab: apparently not as deep as it had felt at the time. The water stung where it hit her injuries, but she ignored the pain, blissfully soaking up the warmth it offered the rest of her aching muscles.

Once changed into a fresh T-shirt and sweatpants, Airae crawled into her bed, laying at ease. For once, she had been able to forget the pain of her past, and fell into a peaceful sleep surprisingly fast.

* * *

><p>Her dreams were vivid, burning images that rose up in her mind and threatened to drown her. Airae could see them as if they were real, could feel the pain anew with each wound inflicted. First, she watched as her brothers starved, finally withering away until they were nothing but bodies lining the streets of the city. In a flash, they were replaced by the sneering men who loomed above her, their hands roaming every inch of her body and she was once again helpless against them. When they faded away into darkness, into the face of the man who was the cause of <em>all<em> her agony, she let out a ragged cry, sobbing when he melted into the image of her parents' bodies, lying still and lifeless on the cold floor of their home.

Airae awoke with a strangled sob, fumbling in the dark for the switch to the lamp beside her bed. She flicked it on, gasping for air against the crushing weight that pressed her chest. However, the soft light did nothing to calm her nerves, rather doing the opposite. The reaches of the light only extended so far into the room, casting the rest into darkened shadow.

Pressing a fist against her mouth did nothing to stifle the terrified whimpers that threatened to spill into the night, and she went as far as to bite down on her knuckles in an attempt to quiet herself. Still, she could not stop herself from seeing those pictures in the darkness. Imagining _him_, lurking in the darkest corners of the room; someone else, stealing her in the night to bring her back to that place of grief and hate. _NO._

She found her hands wound into her half-dried hair, nails digging into the skin of her scalp as she tried to convince herself that her imagination was just running away from her. The words formed a chant in her mind, but it did nothing to quell the fear building up in her stomach. _It isn't real, it isn't real, IT ISN'T REAL._

With a single shriek of terror, Airae threw the covers away from her legs, swinging over the side of the bed and onto the floor. She stumbled ungracefully several steps before righting herself, slamming into the door and throwing it open in a wild panic. She didn't dare look back: she was terrified that her visions might actually be true.

Airae fumbled down the hallway blindly, feeling quite proud of herself when she managed to reach the door to Raven's room. However, when she threw it open without even bothering to knock, she was horrified to see that the room was empty, her new friend strangely absent. Closing the door once again, Airae turned back to the hallway and glanced around, chest heaving. Seeing a light from shining from around the corner, she ran there without hesitation, thinking only of how desperately she wanted not to return to that room full of ghosts.

Reaching the room that had shed the light onto her hallway, Airae entered with little introduction, not particularly caring who occupied the room. Anything to escape those demons.

In her attempt to close the door both quietly and quickly at the same time, she failed, slamming the door with an ungodly bang. Turning to face the rest of the room, Airae saw that it was the library Raven had showed her earlier, a huge room with an open interior, lined with walls of books and several nooks to sit and read in.

Letting out a huff of air, she searched the room wildly, looking for somewhere she could curl up and battle her personal monsters. Spotting an area in the left corner of the room, she nearly ran towards the spot, sliding down in the crevice between chair and wall. Airae hardly cared how childish her hiding place seemed: she had entirely different matters on her mind. She sat with her legs pressed against her chest in the cramped space, teary eyes flickering across the room, watching for the ghosts that were sure to come.

* * *

><p>Charles' sleep had been fitful that night. His dreams were laced with images that he couldn't name, people he couldn't identify, and an overlapping terror that nearly drove him insane. Waking up with a start, he stared wildly around the room, searching for something that would anchor him to reality. Calming his breathing, he stared up at the ceiling, wondering what had caused such horrid nightmares.<p>

Upon hearing a faint shriek coming from the floor below, Charles sat upright, immediately projecting his mind to see what had happened. He mentally checked off each of the family members: Raven and Hank still awake, speaking in earnest about their appearances while sitting in the lab; while the others were in their beds, all in their own states of sleep.

Puzzled, Charles reached out once more, only to remember that he hadn't checked to see if the new mutant was doing okay. However, the second he touched his mind to hers, he was met with such an overwhelming sense of horror and fear that he pulled out immediately, feeling slightly sick at his stomach. Rationalizing that he had probably unwittingly shared her dreams, he figured that it would probably be best to go and comfort the girl.

Charles slid his feet out from the blankets, reluctantly stepping away from the warmth of his bed. Pulling a pair of loose gray sweatpants over his boxers, he made his way out of the room, cursing slightly upon stubbing his toe at the doorframe.

Reaching out once more to find her location, Charles was surprised to find that she had taken refuge in the library, but quickly changed his course of direction. He reasoned that it wasn't quite so unlikely for her to be there: he usually left it's lights on at night so that any insomniacs who happened to roam the halls would find themselves with something to occupy themselves, or at least a room to relax in until the morning.

Once he had approached the closed door, Charles paused outside for several minutes, wondering what would be the best way to introduce himself without frightening her further. Deciding that there really was no easy way to announce his presence, he tapped softly on the door, calling out gently. "Airae, are you in there? It's Charles."

When he was met with no response, Charles tightened his grip on the doorknob, touching her mind just briefly enough to ascertain that she was still in the room, but not enough so that he had to experience her fear again. He didn't think he would be able to handle that once more.

"Airae, I'm going to come in now. If you wish to be alone, please indicate so and I will leave immediately." Charles was met with nothing but silence once again, so he turned the handle of the door, opening it slowly so as not to startle her. When the door had been opened, he stood in the entryway, baffled. Airae wasn't in the room.

However, a second sweep of his thoughts told him differently, and he looked to the corner, where he saw her huddled against the wall like a terrified animal, her eyes wide and limbs shaking with helpless terror. She seemed to look right past him, as if he weren't there at all—he didn't need to wonder what kind of monsters she was facing. Stepping forward uncertainly and receiving no reaction at all from the girl, he walked across the room towards her, covering the area in several long strides.

He knelt on his knees so that he was looking directly at her: far enough away so that she wasn't trapped against the wall, but close enough so that he filled the majority of her vision. Airae's mouth was slightly open, her breath coming out in uneven, rapid bursts. Thinking to pry her from her spot and place her in a more comfortable one, Charles reached out to hold her arm, moving slowly as he did so.

However, as soon as he made contact with her skin, Airae seemed to jump back to life, letting out a shriek of such panic that he froze immediately. Instinctively, she punched outward with the arm he wasn't holding, her fist connecting with the side of his face painfully.

As Charles withdrew—partially from pain, but mostly in shock—Airae cringed away, tears flowing freely down her face. Her thin body was pressed as far away from him as she could get, dread clearly visible on her features as she realized what had just happened.

Airae pressed her hands to her face, sobbing loudly, her words running together in a stream of nonsense. "So sorry—didn't mean to—he was there, laughing—grabbed my arm—_please don't hurt me._"

At her last sentence, Charles glanced up at her, his own worries forgotten. In that moment, she looked so fragile, so hauntingly broken, it physically pained him to see anyone in such a state. Tentatively reaching out a hand, he held hers in his own, looking into her eyes for permission. They were a beautiful shade of green, made even more so by the red that rimmed the edges and tears that spilled down her face.

Rubbing soothing patterns on the back her hand with his thumb, he spoke gently, never breaking his gaze away from hers. "Shh, it's alright. I'm not going to harm you, I promise."

Her only answer was a light sob, her body shaking from the tremors that ran down her spine. Rising to his feet, Charles gently tugged her hand to show that he wished for her to stand. He decided that she was beyond reasoning at this point, and needed to be _shown_ that he meant what he said. "Come on, let's get you into a proper chair. Stand up, there's a good girl."

Airae allowed herself to be pulled upright, her legs still shaking as she walking. Charles released the girl's hand as soon as she was standing, and counted it as an accomplishment that she didn't immediately run away—or try and injure him.

Gesturing to the middle of the room where several chairs and a couch had been placed in a circle, Charles guided her to one of the chairs where she sat, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Rather than sitting directly beside her, as he would have with any of his other students, Charles opted for the seat as far away from Airae as possible to give her the personal space she obviously needed.

Crossing his left leg over the right, Charles stared at Airae just as she was him—with the exception of the hostility and fear. She had her legs drawn up to her chest, arms hugging her knees and face resting on top of her arms. He could see that she tears had stopped for the moment, but her face still had the wet streaks to prove their existence. After several moments, Charles decided to break the silence. "Couldn't sleep?"

At his words, she glanced down at the floor, apparently trying to decide if the concern in his voice had been genuine or mocking. "You could say that."

Pressing his lips together, Charles examined her for several moments, wondering if he should tell her what he knew about her dreams, or if she would be frightened by the idea of him having read her thoughts—regardless of whether he had had control over it. "I saw your dreams tonight, Airae. Who were they young boys you thought of?"

He had decided to ask her about the memories that would least worry her, to distract her from her current fears. She looked startled at the question, and it took her a minute to think of an answer. When she spoke her words were slow, and he figured that had he asked her any other time when she wasn't so disoriented, she might not have even considered replying.

"They were my brothers, Michael and John. When my family…threw us out, we had nowhere to go. My brothers were too young to care for themselves." She shifted to put her head in her hands, muffling her voice as she did so. "I never saw them again. I don't even know if they're still alive."

Charles was silent for several moments, allowing her time to grieve as she clearly wished. After a few minutes had lapsed, he spoke again, gently. "I'm sorry, Airae, I truly am." When she didn't answer, Charles was left wondering if she had fallen back asleep or was silently crying. Assuming the latter, Charles decided that he might as well learn more about her since she was willing to talk to him. Who knew how she might feel about him when she wasn't out of her mind with fear.

Airae seemed to have calmed down slightly: her shoulders were no longer shaking, and her cries had faded away to the occasional hiccup. Charles glanced at the chafe marks still plain on her wrist, and was struck with a sudden pity for the girl. "Airae, how long were you in that place?"

Her voice was a whisper—if the house hadn't been so silent, he probably wouldn't have been able to hear her. "Three years. I was seventeen…I didn't know what else to do." She glanced back up at him, her gaze pleading, desperate. "I wouldn't have done it if I had any other choice, I thought that he would help us."

Charles nodded, not taking his eyes away from hers. She looked away, pressing her cheek against the top of her arm; Charles turned so that she wouldn't see the tear he wiped away.

* * *

><p>He had woken up early, as he always did. He loved watching the sunrise, and after finishing his morning cup of coffee, began walking around the mansion. The hallways were empty, he was the first to rise as usual. When he reached the library's open door, he paused, glancing inside curiously.<p>

In the center of the room, Airae was curled up on one of the chairs, legs tucked against her chin like a sleeping cat. Her breathing was slow, much calmer than it had been. He smiled, glad that she had finally found peace. Her screams last night had nearly driven him mad, they reminded him so much of memories he didn't wish to think of.

Then he saw who was asleep in the chair across from her, and his chest tightened. Charles' head rested against a hand propped against the armrest, eyes closed. Erik stared at his friend with affection, suddenly envious of the girl sitting across from Charles. Feeling as if he were intruding upon something private, Erik withdrew from the doorway, shutting the door behind him with one last look over his shoulder.


	8. Thanks for showing up

**A/N: **So here it is, the second chapter of the two I promised yesterday. Enjoy the thickening plot as it thickens like a great big pot of stuff getting thicker.

Alright, so I also have a confession to make. While I was both writing and editing this, I was under the influence of Harry Potter and peppermints. If you see something strange, hiccup and just keep swimming. Thank you, that is all.

* * *

><p>When Airae awoke, her legs and neck were stiff from having slept in such a cramped position all night. She was momentarily confused as to where she was, and it took several moments for the events of the previous night to catch up with her. Glancing around, she saw that Charles was no longer in his seat. Sunlight filtered in through the large windows on one side of the room, and she briefly wondered what time it was. Airae couldn't remember when she had fallen asleep, just that it had been free of the nightmares that haunted her.<p>

Stretching her legs out, she rose from the chair, ignoring the popping noises her back made as it unfolded. Airae made her way back to her bedroom, slightly surprised that she didn't meet anyone on her way there. Airae guessed that she had slept a while, but couldn't be sure.

As Airae passed Raven's room, she glanced inside, unsurprised to see that her new friend was nowhere to be seen. She suppressed a snort and continued on her way. It was nice to know she could count on Raven to be there.

Airae paused before entering her own room, remembering the fear of the previous night before shaking it off. Her monsters preferred the night. Airae crossed the room and threw herself onto the bed, unable to resist its soft allure. She let out a huff of air, sitting up and crossing her legs.

She knew she had a decision to make. If she was going to leave, now would be the best opportunity. It wouldn't be wise to let herself become close to the others only to walk away later—or worse: stay and wait for something awful to happen as it had the last time she had chosen to trust a stranger.

Airae groaned, pressing her head into her hands in frustration. In the time she had spent with Raven, she had become attached to the girl, so enamored with the idea of having a friend. But on the other hand, it wasn't as if Raven could protect her from the nightmares, the anxiety that threatened whenever she thought of being in a room alone with a man.

And then there was Charles. Airae didn't quite know what to make of the quiet, kindly man. She wanted to trust him; wanted to believe that he truly cared about helping her. But every instinct she had told her that she was wrong: that the minute she let her guard down, everything would spiral out of her control.

Here she was with people like her—people who knew what she was and weren't afraid of her for it. She wasn't judged, she had a home. Safety was an issue that she was still trying to work on, but surely they didn't mean her harm, right? But what about her brothers? Didn't she owe them to go out and hunt them down, or at least find what had happened to them?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden knock at her door, and Airae turned to see Raven standing in the doorway. Her friend was grinning, happily bouncing on the balls of her feet. "There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you. What are you doing in here? It's nearly lunchtime." Raven entered the room, standing beside the bed and grabbing Airae's arm. "Come on, Charles is going to begin teaching us how to control our abilities. I don't know if he's figured out what to do for yours yet, but you should still come watch, it'll be fun!" Seeing the look of hesitation on Airae's face, Raven laughed mischievously.

"Charles has this wicked new bruise on his face, come see it!"

* * *

><p>After much pleading on Raven's part, Airae allowed herself to be dragged down the hallways, not completely sure where the girl was leading her. At last, they reached a study of sorts where they found Erik and Charles already waiting. The two were immersed in what looked like an intense game of chess.<p>

Neither even bothered to glance their way, each staring at the other with a smug expression on their face. Raven released her grip on Airae's arm, approaching Charles to give him a light kiss on the cheek. When Charles raised his head, Airae saw a light pattern of blue on his cheekbone where she had hit him the previous night.

Airae looked away in shame, and caught Erik switching several of Charles' pieces while he was preoccupied. Seeing her glance, Erik gave her a wink before Charles turned back around to face the board. His brows narrowed while Airae wondered how Erik managed to keep a straight face.

Raven looked around at the empty room, her thoughts plain on her face. "Charles, where is everyone?" Her brother didn't take his gaze away from the board, moving one of his nights forward to take a pawn.

"Alex and Sean should be here any minute, I asked them to join us here this afternoon. I believe Hank was going to spend the day working on a secret project of his."

Raven nodded at his words, turning around to throw herself lazily onto the couch, feet sticking into the air. Airae followed, choosing a chair facing away from the window. They sat in companionable silence, the only noises to break the silence being the rustle of clothing, the thud of a game piece being moved.

Airae had almost drifted off to sleep when Erik sat up, his features triumphant compared to Charles' look of irritation. Raven let out a snort of laughter, apparently pleased that her brother had found someone who could finally beat him. "Now that your little pissing match, can we at least make some progress? Alex and Sean can catch up once they get here, if they ever do."

Charles rolled his eyes at his sister's comment, but ignored the jibe. "I suppose I can tell you what how I plan on teaching each of you to further control and enhance your abilities. I'll start with Erik, I suppose."

Each of the girls sat up to listen as Charles turned toward Erik, a smile playing at the man's lips. "Obviously, Erik, we must work on allowing you to control your powers without the necessity of rage, and to strengthen both your skills and mind. And for the umpteenth time, no, I will _not_ put a bullet through your head just to see if you can deflect it."

Erik's grin faded into a brief scowl, but Charles waved his hand airily. "I was thinking something a tad more challenging would do, but I'll explain more once we're outside."

Charles then turned to face his sister, who was looking at him expectantly. "Raven, as you have already worked on perfecting your ability most of your life, I'd like for your training to be a bit more subtle. I know you can transform into others and even imitate their voices, but can you learn their body language, their habits? When you're about and roaming the mansion, I want for you to impersonate your fellow mutants: see if you can convince our friends that you are one of them."

At his words, a smirk made its way across her features, and she laughed when he had finished speaking. "Seriously, Charles? I had thought that training would be difficult, but this is going to be fun!"

Charles laughed at her enthusiasm, and was about to turn his attention to Airae when two people burst through the door. Raven had described them both to Airae, and she was able to easily recognize the redhead as Sean. His gangly limbs and freckled face gave him a young appearance, even though she knew he was at least sixteen.

From where he was standing behind Sean, Airae wasn't able to catch a glimpse of who must have been Alex, so she tried to listen to what Sean was saying. "—Couldn't get him to wake up, finally got the oaf to get out of bed."

Charles merely shrugged the apology off, not as irritated from the wait as his sister clearly had been. "I have already explained Erik and Raven's training to them, I was just about to inform Airae of my plans when the two of you showed up. Alex, Sean, this is Airae, who will be joining us for now."

Not having seen her when they entered, Sean and Alex turned towards Airae to introduce themselves. She was prepared to offer a smile and greeting, but when she saw Alex, the words faded from her mouth. Her features were frozen into a mask of surprise, and her hand moved slowly to cover her open mouth.

Everyone else in the room glanced from her to Alex, confusion plain on their faces at her sudden halt. However, Alex was just as startled as her, for he had paused in his step, eyes narrowed in recognition. Sean blinked in confusion, asking a question that Airae wasn't paying enough attention to hear. She had eyes only for the boy in front of her, the blonde who stood with his mouth set in an angry line.

Her voice was barely above a whisper, pain clear in her eyes.

"Michael?"

* * *

><p>Charles was the first to guess at what the situation truly was. Not waiting for them to clarify, he immediately looked into Alex's thoughts and his suspicions were confirmed. Sensing the awkward tension radiating from the two, he cleared his throat while rising to his feet, motioning for Raven and Erik to do the same. "Well, let's get started on our training, shall we? Raven, if you wouldn't mind going to check on Hank, see how he's faring. Erik, you can come with Sean and myself."<p>

When the others made no motion, Charles mentally prodded at them until they agreed with reluctance to follow him out of the room. As Charles passed Alex, he stared at him questioningly, but if the younger boy saw it, he didn't acknowledge. Alex and Airae waited for the four to file out of the room silently, all emanating varying levels of confusion and discomfort. When at last they had all left, closing the study door behind them, Alex was the first to speak.

His features remained calm, but his voice betrayed the concealed fury beneath.

"Hello, sister. It's a nice surprise, seeing you here. What are you doing at the mansion? I doubt you came for me: it's not like you cared about us enough to stay in the first place."


	9. Accusations and Explanations

**A/N: **Once again, thanks to everyone for all of your reviews, I really appreciate your thoughts! Sorry for no update yesterday. I was really planning on posting this chapter, but time got away from me.

Short chapter today. I apologize, but I feel you'll find it interesting enough. ;)

* * *

><p>Airae blinked at his words, shocked. She had not expected his reaction, and his accusation had stung with its underlying truth. "Michael, I didn't…I would never have left you…I didn't have any other choice." She had hoped that her reply would be strong, and he would be able to see how deeply she cared about him, but all she was able to manage was a pitiful stammer.<p>

She had risen to her feet but hadn't dared to cross the room and grab him in her arms as she wished. After years of picturing him dying on the streets, this was the last place she had ever hoped to find her brother. Having to stand and listen as he accused her of leaving them was horrible, but made even more so by the fact that she couldn't hug him, hold him, assure herself that he truly was real.

"You didn't have a choice? Airae, there is _always_ a choice, don't you get it? You could have chosen to stay with us, you could have chosen to protect us but you _didn't_! _Why didn't you stay?_"

By the end of his sentence, Alex—Michael—had begun screaming, his eyes burning with anger. Airae didn't even notice the tears that began streaming down her face; she was unable to do anything but shake her head as he continued to yell at her furiously.

"Airae, I watched as you abandoned us to go live as a filthy _whore_. You told me that you would be back but it was nothing but _lies_ that I wish I hadn't believed. Do you even know what it was like? We waited for you for weeks, always hoping that you would return with some explanation, some reassurance that everything was going to work out. Airae—" at this point, Alex choked, and she could see that his eyes were filled with moisture to match her own. But unlike her tears, his took away nothing from the boiling rage that rolled off him in waves; Airae only managed to look like a frightened child.

She reached a hand out, lightly brushing his cheek with the tip of her fingers. At her touch, he recoiled sharply, backing away, each step a separate knife that drove into her ribs. She tried to keep the anger out of her voice, but worried that she had failed. Why wouldn't he give her a chance to explain herself? If he would just listen, she could tell him what had happened..and everything would be okay again.

"Michael…I would have done anything to return to you. I couldn't, he had me bound to the fucking bedpost and drugged_,_ what was I supposed to do? At the time, I truly thought I was helping you. I had no idea what was going to happen, and if I had, I would never have made the choice that I did. Please, Michael."

Halfway through speaking, he began slowly shaking his head, backing away further. She could see that his resolve was breaking, that underneath his hard shell, he was just as broken as she was. However, when he heard his name spoken, the boy whipped his head up, fury flaring in his eyes once again, and the vulnerability she had seen earlier vanished.

"Do _not_ call me Michael! That part of me is gone. Airae, do you hear me?I spent a year of my life rotting alone in a prison cell because you weren't there to protect me. _I had to watch as John died on the streets because you weren't there to help him._ You left us without a second thought about how we would live after you were gone, it's _your_ fault he's dead!"

Alex watched as his words took their full effect on his sister. Upon hearing of her brother's death, she froze, mouth open in shock at what she had heard. After several moments, Airae shrank to the floor with a low wail, pressing her hand against her mouth. His face was expressionless, hardened by the time spent on his own. He had suffered through hell after what his sister had done, and her grief didn't move him as it once would have. She deserved to feel what he had after what she had done.

The boy ran a hand through his hair, making it stand on end. When he spoke, his voice had lowered from angry shouts to an eerie calm. Airae much preferred when he was yelling at her, at least then she could be justified in being angry in return. All she felt now was a deep hollowness inside her chest. _John was dead. He died on the streets because I wasn't there. _She felt as if her heart was going to burst: how could anybody cope with such a feeling?

"I can never forgive you for what you did Airae. I don't care what kind of excuse you can come up with, nothing can justify you just leaving us with no explanation at all, no home, no way of knowing when or even if you would return. You aren't my sister, Airae. My sister died the same day my brother did. There's nothing here for you. Why don't you just do everyone a favor and leave? You obviously have no qualms about running away from the people you care about."

With those words, he turned towards the door, not bothering to see her reaction as he walked away.

The door slammed shut loudly behind him, but Airae didn't notice it. She was lost in her sorrow, breaking down after her brother's accusations.

As much as she wanted to claim that he didn't know the full story, that he hadn't given her time to fully explain herself, she knew that he was right. She could have escaped earlier, ran at the first signs that something wasn't truly right. Even before that she could have refused the man his offer, chosen to stay with her brothers and take their chances on the streets—together. Or maybe all of their trouble had begun with her ability, and her damned curiosity. If she hadn't even thought to test herself on her parents was such a brilliant idea, if she hadn't lost control and went too far, they wouldn't even be in such a situation.

John wouldn't be dead.

Absolute silence is one of the worst sounds a person can hear. It presses on the ears, drowning out all other senses, until the only thing remaining is the beat of your heart and the murmurs of your thoughts. If your heart stops beating and your thoughts are screaming in pain, silence becomes a curse. It reminds us how alone we truly are.

The silence that fell upon the room after Alex's exit was nearly enough to drive Airae insane. She wasn't sure how long she stayed in that room, but all she knew was that she couldn't bring herself to go out and face risk of running into others. It would require putting on a brave face, not letting them see how utterly shattered she felt at the moment; she didn't think she could summon the strength for that. Every part of her felt completely drained of all energy, emotion.

At first she had been blindly angry, although who her rage was directed at, she couldn't be sure. She felt as if she had a fairly good reason to be mad at her brother, who had begun screaming accusations at her without even pausing to see if there was a good reason for her decision, to check and make sure that she hadn't done everything in her power to return to her brothers. But even so, she was even more furious with herself, for allowing herself to make the choices that had directly harmed her brothers.

The chess board hadn't been able to survive her rage: as the first of these mutinous thoughts had run through her head, she had flipped the board over, thoroughly scattering pieces everywhere across the room. After this outbreak, she had immediately felt guilty for doing so, and had tried to pick up each of the pieces and return them to their respective positions. It would have been much easier if she knew the slightest bit about chess or where each piece belonged.

Eventually, she gave up, pushing herself away from the table in frustration. She wiped away the tears that threatened to spill as she fell onto one of the cushioned chairs and curled up immediately, hiding her face against the back of the chair. She remembered his last words, and replayed them in her head. _Why don't you just do everyone a favor and leave?_

* * *

><p>Charles stared once again at the study door, wondering if he should go and talk to the girl. When Alex had left the room, he had stormed away angrily, and one look at the boy's thoughts had told him that Alex wanted to be alone. Charles had thankfully obliged, not wanting to get himself caught in the feud between siblings. However, he wasn't sure what to do about Airae.<p>

As the hours passed and she hadn't emerged from the study, he had temporarily abandoned his rules of courtesy and projected his mind forward to look at hers. Charles was touched by the degree of responsibility she felt for what had happened to Alex and her brother, regardless of how clearly incapacitated she had been at the time. He experienced the overwhelming grief she felt at her younger brother's death, coupled with anger at Alex's actions. Charles felt partly guilty for invading her thoughts, but decided that what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

He had almost dozed off, listening to her, when one thought in particular caught his attention. He straightened from his slumped position leaning against the wall, glancing at the door in surprise. Without giving the action much thought, Charles crossed to the door and knocked twice before entering.

Walking into the room, Charles saw Airae tightly curled into one of the chairs, her face pressed against its cushion so he was unable to see her expression. Quietly, he sat in the chair opposite her, suddenly unsure of what to say. Thankfully, Airae chose to break the silence first, her voice slightly muffled. "He hates me."

Having heard the boy's opinion of his sister, Charles was inclined to agree with her, but wasn't about to let her know that. "He was just angry, Airae. Give him some time to get over his grief, it'll pass."

He didn't add that he hoped she decide to remain at the mansion while waiting for her brother's forgiveness. It would make his life so much easier without having to worry about another of his mutants running off and joining Shaw.

Airae turned to look at him and he was surprised to find her eyes free of tears, her face calm. "Time? Because of my actions, our brother died. Charles, how could he ever feel differently about me? And how can I stay here and wait for what might happen when every day I see the blame in his eyes, and know that he's right? He doesn't want me here, and I won't hurt him by staying."

Charles had no answer to that, so he said nothing, looking around the room to avoid her stare. He had wanted to show her that he was different than the men she had known, and knew that arguing against her would only cause the girl more anguish. She wouldn't want his opinions when her mind was already set.

His gaze fell upon the scrambled chess set in between the two chairs, and began silently re-positioning the pieces so that they were in their correct spots. She watched his hands quietly as he fixed her mistakes, and at last all of the pieces had been righted. Looking up to see her watching him, Charles nodded to the chess board, deciding that she needed something to take her mind away from the depressing thoughts. "Do you play?"

Airae shook her head. She had never learned to play the game: whenever she had tried, it had been too confusing and she had given up in frustration. "I don't know how."

Airae found that unlike the man who had trapped her for so many years, she wasn't afraid of Charles when he smiled at her. She felt comforted, even though all he had offered was the simple gesture. "Let me teach you." Seeing her hesitation, Charles grinned brightly. "Come on, I make a surprisingly good teacher. I am a professor, after all."

Airae listened as he began describing each piece to her: its name, how it moved, where it was located. As he explained the rules of the game, she found herself gradually warming up to Charles, letting herself relax in his presence. They began to play, Charles sacrificing many of his pieces to her so that she wouldn't lose, Airae pretending that she didn't notice. Slowly, she found herself becoming more involved in the game, concentrating less on her own misery and more on the pieces in front of her. She now thought she knew what about the game appealed to Charles and Erik that Raven couldn't understand. It was nice being able to forget about the rest of her worries, having control over at least a tiny aspect of her life.

When she move her queen to claim checkmate against Charles, she let out a little squeal of delight at having won. Charles beamed at her, proud of how quickly she had learned. Of course, he had helped her along, purposely making bad moves and attacking the wrong pieces, but most of the credit belonged to her.

Charles rose to his feet, stretching his arms behind him as he did so. He offered a hand to Airae, who stared at it reluctantly. "It's incredibly late, why don't you go to sleep? Often decisions are easier to make in the morning."

Airae didn't ask how he knew she had been worrying over the choice of leaving. She allowed him to help her up, holding onto his hand for slightly longer than was necessary. If he noticed, he said nothing about it. Charles stayed behind as she left the room and went to find her own bed. His worried eyes followed her figure out, listening to her jumbled thoughts as she left. Tomorrow they would know if she decided to stay or leave.

He thought of his conversation with Erik, of their parting words. He still had the opportunity to influence her mind to stay, to prevent what could happen if she left. She would never know what he had done, but could he bring himself to use his abilities for such an invasion of personal rights? Could they trust the girl to stay for her brother; or could they believe she wouldn't join Shaw if she did decide to run away?


	10. Don't worry about me

**A/N: **I can't tell you how sorry I am that I haven't been able to update in forever. I suddenly found a long series of unfortunate events unfolding, and haven't been able to write. Updates will now be regular, I promise. Especially now that we're getting to the interesting part. ^^ Also, I think these line breaks that this site provides have spoiled me. I feel as if I'm entirely too reliant on them, but my little mini-shots are all that's flowing at the moment. Hang in there with me.

Once again, I feel a craving for reviews. Let me know if my writing has improved or spiraled downhill in my time away. I _survive_ off your input. Lots of love and all my thanks to those who have reviewed.

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><p>To her surprise, Airae fell asleep the second her head fell against the pillow. She hadn't been plagued by nightmares, or frightened by the decisions that she would be forced to make. She had been inexplicably calm after the time spent with Charles, and she attributed that to their game of chess. It had been incredibly relaxing.<p>

When she had entered her room the previous night, she had planned to sit and think over whether or not she would leave as her brother suggested, or stay and wait for his forgiveness. However, that idea had been quickly tossed to the side when she realized how exhausted and emotionally drained she felt: and how welcoming the soft mattress was.

But that didn't matter, because it was morning and Airae had made her decision. It wasn't even that difficult of a choice, really. It seemed to her as if the answer was and should always have been quite clear.

How could she possibly leave her brother alone in such a place as this? It should have been impossible for her to have found her brother had they not been reunited here, and she could have gone her entire life not knowing the fate of her siblings. It would have killed her; that was what she would have to risk in leaving. Airae knew she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she simply walked away from him a second time, not knowing whether he would be alright. And she owed it to him: to stay even though he had so viciously told her to leave. He might feel as if he didn't want her there, but she had a feeling that it would kill him just as much to see her walk away one more time. She wasn't that heartless.

Another tiny little thought drifted across her mind, and she considered it with a detached interest, unsure of its meaning. _Here I have friends._ She thought of the enthusiastic Raven, who had spent an entire afternoon dragging Airae around with the single goal of making her feel welcome. She remembered Charles, how she still couldn't bring herself to trust him but still had an aching desire to do so anyway. His promises of safety and freedom were so tempting, and she felt drawn to believe him even though she had no evidence to prove otherwise. Everything about him simply radiated understanding, and a part of her didn't want to leave that.

Airae had never been any place where there were others like her. They may not have gone through what she had, but each had suffered in their own way, and she could finally relax around other _mutants._ The word still felt foreign to her mind, but Airae was growing accustomed to the idea that she was special, and it wasn't something to be ashamed of. At least here, she could pretend like she fit in.

* * *

><p>Charles stared at the sunrise through the window of the study, sipping tea absently. He usually would never have risen so early under any normal circumstances, but this was the day he would find out whether or not their new mutant had stayed or decided to leave. Maybe he would be able to cross one worry off his ever-growing list.<p>

The door opened behind him but Charles didn't turn, simply waited for whoever had entered to speak first. Charles saw Erik move to stand beside him, his drink of choice a strong coffee. Charles had never been fond of its bitterness, but had kept his opinions to himself when Erik insisted on having some in the house at all times.

At last, Erik broke the silence, his eyes focused on the magnificent array of gold and pink that colored the landscape before them. "The girl is still here. I thought she would have left yesterday after what Alex said to her."

Everybody knew what the boy had told her. After leaving the study in a rage, Alex had stormed around the grounds aimlessly, taking his anger out on whatever objects happened to be within kicking distance. After much prodding from Raven, Sean had agreed to go talk with his friend.

When he returned, Sean had refused to tell them the entirety of what he had learned, feeling it would be best to give the two siblings their privacy; though he had revealed that they were in fact brother and sister, and that Alex had told her to leave.

Raven had spent the rest of the afternoon pacing worriedly, torn between going to speak with Airae and letting her think on her own. The others had more or less resumed what they always did after training: Hank locking himself up in the lab, Sean running off to probably get stoned, and Erik wandering aimlessly around the mansion.

Charles turned to meet Erik's gaze, unsuccessfully hiding what could only have been a guarded reaction. There was something he was unwilling to share, but Erik was determined to find out what his friend had decided once and for all.

"I can't help but wonder if the girl is here because she wholly wants to be, or if you made the choice for her. Tell me, my friend. What have you done?"

* * *

><p>Alex leaned forward, placing his head against his hands and running his fingers through the tousled blond hair. He glanced nervously once again at the entrance to the mansion, expecting at any moment to see his sister's light frame slip through the doorway and out of his life once more. Cursing, he leaned against the tree behind him, one of many that made up an orchard off to the side of the house. He wasn't sure why her departure would mean so much to him.<p>

It wasn't as if he was expecting her to stay. Why would she, when Airae had fled three years previously and left behind two starving brothers with no means to care for themselves? A stab of guilt flashed through his mind, reminded him that he hadn't exactly given her a chance to explain. But then again, Alex wasn't sure if he wanted to hear what she had to say. He wanted a reason to stay angry at his sister, craved an excuse to avoid her and all the memories that he associated with her. She reminded him too much of the brother he couldn't save: if he couldn't blame Airae for the death of his brother, his world would slowly start to crumble around the accusations he had built his rage upon. _She left us there to die. It's her fault._

He spared another quick glance at the door, heart racing when he thought for a moment that he had seen a flash of blond, a bony hand opening the door. But it was just his imagination. _Damn her for putting him through this._ Alex shouldn't care whether or not his sister left, it shouldn't matter that she would want to do exactly as he had demanded. But oh, how it mattered. He wasn't willing to face how much it would hurt to see Airae walk out the door and never look back. It would be just like losing her all over again. This time, there would be no John by his side, no hope of her returning to save him. She would be gone, and Alex would be alone once more.

As the hours passed slowly, painfully, without any sign of his sister's leaving, Alex allowed himself to hope. As much as he hated to admit it, he was overwhelmed with relief that his sister had decided not to abandon him even though she had plenty of reason to do so. As the sun passed overhead and began its descent back down to the horizon, Alex slowly made his way back up to the mansion, limbs sore from remaining in one spot for so long.

He had been unable to sleep the night before, spending the entire night tossing underneath the blankets, thoughts in too much of a mess to get any form of rest. Alex now navigated the maze of hallways, not pausing before entering his own bedroom door. The bed was so inviting to his weary body, and his mind ached for a peaceful sleep. He threw himself onto the bed with a leap that was anything but graceful, closing his eyes immediately. It was nearly impossible for Alex to stop the smile from spreading across his face as he let his mind relax.

He wasn't sure if he would be able to fully forgive her for leaving them, but that wound was one that might never entirely heal. The mirror had already been cracked, but it was never too late to pick up the pieces.


	11. What you don't know

Thankfully, Airae remembered enough from her tour of the mansion to find the kitchen in a relatively short amount of time. She hadn't eaten since her time spent with Raven, and could feel her stomach rumbling painfully. Airae stared at the array of food available, partly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choices she had. It had been three years since she had been able to choose something even as little as a meal, and she hardly trusted herself not to eat everything in sight.

Grinning, she grabbed some peanut butter and proceeded to make a sandwich, not caring that she poured way too much honey to make a goopy mess. Airae made short work of the sandwich, for the first time in days realizing how absolutely starved she was. She relished the sweet honey after her years of surviving off instant noodles, and decided she had never tasted anything so heavenly.

When the first sandwich was finished, she started making another only to abandon it in the process, settling with eating the pure honey with her fingers. Airae knew she probably should find something more filling or nutritional, but couldn't bring herself to do so.

In her greed, Airae hadn't noticed the figure that had moved into the doorway of the kitchen. When he spoke, she turned to see Erik Lensherr leaning against the doorframe, watching her with an amused expression. She put down the honey jar quickly, face flushed with embarrassment.

He grinned, but the warmth didn't reach his eyes: they were guarded, as if he wasn't certain what to think of her yet. Or maybe he was like that all the time.

Erik stepped forward to a cupboard and produced a bottle of scotch, nodding toward the mess she had made. "Trying to destroy our honey supply?"

Unsure of what to say, Airae quickly tried to clean up the area, mumbling an apology that was hardly audible. Pouring himself a glass, Erik didn't comment, merely watched as she fumbled for a napkin to wipe away the honey that she had spilled on the countertop. Airae wasn't sure why she was suddenly so nervous. Even though he wasn't emitting any particularly friendly vibes, he wasn't being unfriendly either. She knew he had been there with Charles when she was rescued from her own personal prison, knew that he could be trusted. But still, it was as if she could feel an angry bitterness swirling beneath his calm demeanor. She tried to keep her eyes away from the door-her only exit- but she found it difficult to concentrate when she was cornered in such a way; she was very aware of how close he was standing, even though he was doing nothing threatening at all. How could Erik not see how uncomfortable she was?

"So you're going to train with us?" When Airae only nodded in response, he turned toward the door, carrying his glass with him. "You'll need some control if you're going to help yourself." He raised a finger to his temple lightly, and Airae knew it was a gentle reminder of when she had unwittingly knocked him out, alone with an entire apartment floor of people. "Talk to Charles, he'll help you figure out a way to keep your abilities in check."

With that, Erik left the kitchen, leaving Airae standing alone by the table.

Glancing around in discomfort, she left the kitchen, appetite suddenly gone. She wasn't sure what it was about the German that put her on edge; she may have just been nervous being in a room alone with a man. Either way, she felt jumpy as if her nerves were on high-alert, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. Pouring herself a glass of water from the sink, Airae carried it with her out into the hallway.

She wasn't sure which way Erik had gone, but she wasn't particularly fond of the idea of bumping into him for another awkward encounter. She decided to go outdoors, figuring that the fresh air would clear her head regardless. Airae was fairly certain that she could find her way out without getting lost, so she took a left out of the kitchen. The hallways weren't nearly as maze-like as they had seemed when Raven was showing her around, and Airae enjoyed looking at the beautiful paintings and decorations that lined the walls.

Airae had just reached the entrance hallway, pausing for several moments as she tried to memorize the path she had taken before giving up. She glanced at the large mahogany doors, each lined with intricately carved swirling patterns, still in shock at how nice her new home was. Home. She Airae hadn't used the word in years, it was such a new feeling to consider that she actually had a place where she belonged, where she was welcome.

As she reached for the door handle, it turned before Airae could open it herself. She stepped back to allow the person room to enter, but froze immediately when she saw who stood before her.

He stood still just as she did, jaw locked in a scowl as he stared at her. Airae met his gaze nervously, wondering what his reaction would be when he saw her there. She wasn't sure what she had been hoping to see in her brother's eyes: hatred, scorn, maybe even forgiveness. Airae thought she saw a flash of relief, but it was gone before she could be sure, replaced by a blank expression. It was the same look someone might have when making eye contact with a stranger on the street. His words flickered through her mind, and it was all she could do not to cry right there. _You aren't my sister, Airae. My sister died the same day my brother did._

She opened her mouth to say something, anything to ease the tension in the room. Before she could speak though, he broke the stillness, walking stiffly past her and into the hallways beyond. As Airae stared after him, she couldn't help but wonder if she had made the right choice in staying.

* * *

><p>She wandered aimlessly around the grounds, not really seeing or caring where she was going. The lawn alone covered more land than she could have imagined, not including the orchard, gardens, and front gate. The mansion grounds had a gentle curve to them, enough to give the place an appearance of soft hills, but not so much so that it was difficult to walk.<p>

Airae paused underneath the shade of the trees in the orchard, stopping to gather her thoughts. She couldn't remember why exactly she had decided to come outside, but was glad that she had chosen to do so. Her walk had calmed her to a point that she hadn't reached in years, and the peace was a welcome change. Airae sat down in the cool grass, leaning her back against one of the evenly spaced trees. She felt like taking a nap in the shade, but decided against it, instead just watching the birds as they hopped among the branches overhead, calling out to each other in song. Even so, she had nearly fallen into a gentle sleep when she heard someone approaching behind her and sat up, suddenly alert.

She turned to see who it was, muscles tensed, ready to run if needed. Airae relaxed only slightly when she saw that it was Charles who made his way towards her: she still wasn't willing to fully trust anyone when she was alone with them. Seeing that she noticed him, Charles waved, crossing into the shade to sit in front of Airae. She pressed closer against the tree: she hoping he wouldn't see her weak attempt to put a few more inches between his body and hers; he pretending that he didn't.

When Airae made no move to start a conversation, Charles cleared his throat lightly. "I heard you spoke with Erik this morning." Charles grinned, remembering Erik's description of the mess she had made in the kitchen, and her embarrassment at being caught. "He mentioned that you have quite a fondness for honey."

Airae wasn't quite sure how to respond. Was he looking for an apology? Maybe they had some sort of honey obsession, and she had broken their ration restrictions. Seeing her hesitation, Charles smiled, his eyes dancing with laughter. "I was teasing. Of course you're welcome to anything we have here."

She nodded, giving him an uneasy smile in return. There was a steady silence between the two. "So Alex...he was your brother? Were the two of you always on your own?"

Charles knew the answer to his own question, but was more interested in what Airae had to say. Alex had mentioned what happened to his sister, using an entire array of unflattering descriptions while doing so. Charles wanted to hear her side of the story, but was unsure of how to bring up the topic without seeming too invasive.

Airae was quiet for several moments, looking past him while biting her lip seemingly without notice. Charles saw the way her hands trembled when she spoke, but her voice was surprisingly calm. "Our parents loved us. We had a home, a place where we were welcome and cared for. It's all my fault that everything fell apart." She stared down at her fingers, and when she glanced back up at him, Charles saw that there were tears in her eyes.

"After our parents died, the rest of our family wanted nothing to do with us. Well, I completely understand their reasoning for abandoning me, but to kick a child onto the streets...We had a younger brother, John. He was eight years old, Michael-Alex, I mean- only twelve at the time. We were all monsters in their eyes, even though Alex's ability hadn't yet shown itself."

She pulled her knees to her chest, hugging them tightly against her. It was an involuntary movement: she felt as though if she didn't hold herself together somehow, she would lose all the pieces. Charles didn't ask how their parents had died. He thought he could guess well enough on his own. She had stopped speaking and seemed to be focusing on controlling her breathing, so he decided to give her a prompt. "And your...occupation?"

"We were on the streets for three weeks. It was absolute hell, you've got to understand. I tried for weeks to get work, for days I spent every waking hour searching for businesses that were looking for employees. But nobody wants to hire an inexperienced homeless girl, who would?"

"Finally, we just settled for begging on the sides of the streets, hoping that some generous passerby would donate enough for us to eat something other than scraps found in a garbage bin. And then when _he_ showed up, with the offer of shelter and help-" Airae cut off mid-sentence, looking away sharply. Her breathing hitched, but Charles waited for her to continue, his gaze still filled with gentle concern.

"I watched for three weeks while my brothers starved beside me, unable to do anything to care for them even when it was my fault we were there in the first place. He introduced himself as Tanner, although I'm sure now that it wasn't his true name. He told me that if I...'lived' with him throughout the week, he would allow me to return to my brothers on the weekends, along with my earnings and the promise of enough to provide for them. He told me that I would be treated respectfully. He called himself a gentleman. Everything he said to me was a lie."

Airae let out a broken sob, hiding her face behind her arms. She couldn't believe that she was telling all of this to a man she had just met, one that she barely even knew. Granted, he had shown nothing but compassion towards her, but she knew from experience that few men were worth trusting. "I could have coped with the situation. The constant humiliation, the shame, even the beatings and neglect. Those tortures were nothing compared to the uncertainty of leaving my brothers behind. There wasn't a second that I didn't wonder where they were, how they were faring, or even if they were still alive."

She put her face in her hands, not even trying to suppress the cries that shook her body."John died on the streets, and Alex was left to spend his time alone in a prison cell: _everything was my fault_." Charles pulled one of her hands away from her face, holding it between his own soothingly. Airae stared back at him, her green eyes made brighter by their red rims. "Why did this have to happen to us? Why me?"

As if struck with a sudden thought, she pulled her hand away from Charles and ran her fingers through her hair, holding her head tightly. When she spoke, her voice was full of bitter anger. "If only I hadn't been born a damn mutant, none of this would have happened. We could have had a perfectly normal life if only I _could just be normal._" Airae let out a cry of anger, beating a fist against the ground.

Seeing her change of mood, Charles reached out to grip her shoulders, holding her still. "Airae, there is nothing wrong with you." She tried to shrug off his grip angrily, but he only let his hands fall to her elbows as she grabbed his forearms, closing her eyes to the sobs that shook her body. "How do you know that? How can you know?" Her fury slowly turned to anguish just as quickly as it had arisen, and her muscles gave up the attempts to fight him away. When Charles pulled her to his chest for a hug, she made no move against him, letting herself cry quietly in his embrace.

* * *

><p>Erik stood at the edge of the lawn, where he had been waiting for longer than he cared to think about. His joints were stiff from standing so long, but he couldn't bring himself to walk away. The man had his hands in the pockets of his trousers, back facing the mansion and looking towards the orchard where Airae and Charles sat.<p>

He wasn't sure why he watched them together. After Airae had collapsed into Charles' embrace, she had cried in his arms until her breathing slowed and she was undeniably asleep. Erik had waited for Charles to wake her, to move or do something of the sort. He hadn't expected his friend to simply sit there with her, eyes closed and relaxed. Erik knew from his posture that Charles wasn't asleep like the girl was, but rather in a state of complete comfort, even with the girl laying awkwardly against him.

As much as he hated to admit, resentment for Airae burned in his chest. Whether or not he chose to believe it, Charles was undoubtedly falling for the girl. It was obvious in his increasing concern for her, and the way he looked at her while they spoke now. It was bad enough that he would never be able to tell Charles how he truly felt for him: any relationship they might have would automatically be viewed as _wrong_ in the eyes of all who knew-it just wasn't _acceptable_. But now he had to watch the man he loved fall for someone else. And he hated her for it.


	12. Baby Steps

**A/N:** So it's been quite a while since you've seen an update from me. I apologize. School started back and well...I'm having some grade-shock.

Anyway, I most definitely am going to finish the story, so hang in there with me. This chapter is kind of short, but the next is already halfway done, and I think you'll like it. And I really am sorry for screwing with my plot in the last chapter (you weren't supposed to find about about Erik until several chapters later), but I just got so _bored._ Hugs and kisses. (Also, I'm going to stop having author notes at the top of every single chapter. I'm sure it bothers some people.)

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><p>Airae stared down at her hands, suppressing the urge to raise a hand to her lips and chew the nails. She couldn't remember when she had started the habit, but found herself at odd moments attacking her nails with vicious energy. She looked to the man in front of her, focusing on him instead. Charles was speaking, his bright blue gaze staring unwaveringly at her own.<p>

"I think I've come up with a plan to held you train and strengthen your ability. We'll start out slow, at first, and continue to build until you are able to fully manipulate and control your mutation. If you are willing, I'd like to begin at night when the others are asleep. It would be great practice for you to be able to slip into their dreams and begin testing how far you can bend their minds. As you progress, we can tackle harder goals. Of course, I'll be there with you the entire time; you won't be alone."

He paused, searching her face for a reaction. Charles knew how sensitive she was about using her abilities, he had hoped to come up with a plan that wouldn't frighten her off immediately. Airae glanced away from his eyes, feeling suddenly uncomfortable underneath their scrutiny. Her gaze fell to the floor, and she kept her vision focused on the blue patterns of the carpet. "That's why you asked me to meet you here tonight."

Charles nodded in reply, but then realized that she wasn't watching him and wouldn't be able to see his reaction. "Yes. I thought that maybe you'd like to begin tonight." He didn't mention that he was eager to see what she could really do. Granted, he had been at the hotel when she had knocked out an entire floor of inhabitants, but he was more interested in how she was able to use her mutation when she was in full control of her emotions. "What do you think?"

Her mouth trembled, and a stab of pity sliced his heart. He remembered her words from earlier that week, when she had confided in him about her previous life. She had cried on his shoulder, poured out her heart to him, and he hadn't seen that weakness present itself since. Airae was much stronger than she appeared.

She returned her gaze to his, and while he could hear the doubt in her voice, a small smile lifted the corners of her mouth. "I'd like to give it a try. Where do we start?"

His answering grin was brilliant. "Fantastic. I figured that the best way for you to practice manipulation would be for us to slip into a dream together: my ability allows me to follow the dreams of those around me, but I-unlike you-am unable to influence those dreams. I'll ask you to change an aspect of that dream, and hopefully all will be well." When she nodded, he continued, but his words weren't as enthusiastic. "For this to work, I'll need to be able to enter your mind. You must allow me to use my ability on you, but I swear to you that I will do nothing that you do not approve of."

Charles waited as she processed those words, and her determination faded into uncertainty. "You would be...in my mind?" He could see that she was wrestling with her own doubt and lack of trust for him, and he was worried that her fear would get in the way of their training. At last, he saw Airae nod in agreement, but her features were tightened in anxiety.

"Relax." Her expression was anything but calm, and he decided that it couldn't be helped. Keeping his eyes locked on hers, he pressed two fingers to his temple and pushed forward into her mind.

Airae knew the second Charles' mind merged with her own. The moment it happened, she was overwhelmed with such a sense of fear that it was difficult for her to think about anything else. She could feel him in her thoughts, and the foreign presence had such a sense of _wrong _to it that she gagged in disgust. It wasn't right. Her mind was her own.

Backing away from where Charles stood, she nearly tripped over the chair that sat behind her. Airae wasn't sure whether her words were spoken aloud or inside her head, but the minute they were said she felt Charles withdraw. "I can't do this." She couldn't meet his eyes, couldn't bear to look and see what surely would have been disappointment. Perhaps he was angry with her for not following through.

Before Charles had a chance to say anything to her, Airae turned and fled from the room, not bothering to close the door behind her. Her footsteps echoed in the hallway as she ran.

* * *

><p>Charles was sitting before the fireplace, an old novel resting in his lap as he read. Afternoon sunlight brightened the room from the window behind his chair, and the sound of the other mutants' conversation could be heard from somewhere down the hall. He wasn't really paying attention to the words on the page in front of him, but rather skimmed the familiar text absentmindedly while his thoughts wandered elsewhere.<p>

He was torn from his musing at the sound of a quiet knock on the doorframe. Charles glanced up, closing the book at the same time. Airae stood in the doorway, half in the library and half in the hall outside. Her expression was tinged with worry, and he gave her a small smile in an attempt to make her feel more at ease. She made her way into the room and sat in the chair across from his own, offering a halfhearted smile in return.

Neither of them spoke for several long moments before she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear uncomfortably. Airae almost said what she had originally came here to say, but broke away at the last second. "What are you reading?"

Charles twisted the book so that she could see the cover. "_Jane Eyre_. Have you read it?" Airae decided to go with this conversation rather than the one she had planned on taking. "Yes I have, although I despise the ending."

He leaned forward in curiosity, mouth curled in a smile. "Why not? It's a beautiful love story."

Airae shook her head at his words. "Their relationship is built on lies. Rochester deceives Jane the entire time they know each other, and only gives her the truth when forced to. And then after all of that, she still goes back to him in the end and forgives him for everything he's done."

"Rochester did those things because he wanted to be happy: he lied to Jane because he loved her. Is that so wrong?"

"He kept secrets from her because he was selfish. He hurt her with his obsession for his own personal interest with not a care for Jane's feelings."

"He learns his lesson in the end."

"His house burns down. What does that change?"

Momentarily stumped, Charles took the opportunity to change the subject. "Other than to criticize my favorite book, why did you come to speak with me?"

Airae smiled inwardly at her victory before speaking. "I wanted to ask you...well, I wanted to try and train again tonight. I know last week didn't go so well, but maybe this time will be different?" Charles didn't say anything, his previous humorous mood was gone. She glanced down at her hands to break his gaze. "I do want to learn how to control myself, and be stronger."

When the man in front of her was still silent, her voice lowered to a self-conscious mutter. "Or I could forget about it. I mean, it probably wouldn't work anyway..."

Charles shook his head and Airae stopped talking, gazing up at him through worried eyes. The passion he had seen in her as she condemned Rochester was nowhere to be found now, it had been replaced by shyness and uncertainty. "You couldn't train last week because you couldn't trust me. Airae, you've got to learn that not all people want to hurt you. I want to help you, I truly do. But I can't do anything unless you can accept that."

Airae was shocked by his blunt answer, and was quiet for several moments. She saw the genuine concern written across his features, the intense blue gaze that was fixed upon her own, and knew that what he told her was true. When Airae didn't answer, Charles reached across to hold her hand in his. "Can you do that, Airae?"

She stared down at his hand, teeth worrying her bottom lip. As she nodded, Charles leaned back in his chair, letting her hand slide away. "I'll see you tonight."

* * *

><p>Airae had only just agreed to meet with Charles, and was already beginning to talk herself out of going that night. It wasn't as if she didn't trust Charles, she already trusted him more than anyone she had met during her time at the mansion. She didn't know why she was so anxious about their second attempt at training. Airae knew she had nothing to fear from Charles, and even failure wouldn't evoke anger in him. Airae was confident in her ability to manipulate the dreams safely (although heaven forbid Charles ask her to send someone to sleep), but still couldn't shake the feeling of restless nervousness. Whatever the problem, her low enthusiasm for training hadn't improved, and gave herself a constant pep talk as she paced up and down the hallway.<p>

Her thoughts were cut short by the sound of a doorbell echoing through the hallways. Airae paused, listening to the bells with slight amusement. The chime was quite a normal sound compared to the elaborate musical pattern she had assumed such a grand house would have. Since her pacing had brought her so close to the main door, Airae figured that she would save the others some trouble and answer it herself. She was also curious to see who would be visiting the house on a Tuesday afternoon. The mutants who lived at the mansion never bothered to ring the doorbell, or even knock for that matter.

Glad to have something to take her mind away from her training later that evening, Airae opened the door, humming a newly created tune to herself. As the oak door swung past her face, the smile she had adopted quickly fell away to be replaced with a look of surprise. The man standing before her grinned, and before she knew what was happening, gripped her upper arm with a menacing growl. _He had found her._


End file.
